At Last

I did not like being last.
But I do like to last.
I’d promise to make this last if there was any way it could.
But, it can’t last and neither can I.

How long can you last?
‘til then at last?
Absolutely, be last if you please, I’ll wait over here until you are through.
I intended to avoid being last so I went first but no one else followed.
I was last.

I said, “I’ll go first because I can’t take being last.”
They said, “That will make you the last to be first.”
So, am I first or last?
Someone told me that the last will be first.
And, the first will be last.
That made my head spin for a while until, at last, I understood.

I thought there always had to be something that was last.
But the last day of school wasn’t.
Neither was the last day of work.
Last call is only a pause, there will be more.
The last question never is,
Nor is the last word.
Did you really just have, or get, or give the last word?

At the last, nothing ever is last.
Or is it nothing is ever last.
There is always something after the last and so is that last?
No, it’s what comes after that last last that is last.
And that will last until we make it last.
If I don’t stop there I’ll have so many in a last pile here I might trip over them,
If I end up the last one out,
I’ll be the last one left to sweep the last ones up.

Missed that one over there – it must be the last.
I’ll put that last in this bag with the others – and we’ll toss it in the sea.
That will be the last of them, see?
Finally we will be free and have peace at last
At least as long as it will last.

At the end there are some things that will finally be last.
There will be a last moment.
Someday there will be a last thought.
There will be a last look and a last breath.
Because, this old body will not last forever.

There will be a last tear.
A last time to cry will come and go.
Pain will not last for it will not be any more.
There is a last death.
There is a life that will last forever.

Be sure to last to the last.

Finally at last,

I’ll join the First and the Last.