legacy

her/his whole life has been spent
in the attempt to form a memory of
herself/himself
when s/he is
dead---
every hand that has been shook,
every deal that’s been made,
they all add up to what will be
said,
after s/he is dead---
that ever-narcissistic
formation of a
legacy,
which drives those who
think seven steps ahead &
have the capital, the will &
just the right amount of
ruthlessness,
to make everything that they
want to happen,
happen &
the best we can do when
they finally go,
is to
burn
burn
burn
them all in
effigy.