The Worms Go In

I am now a member of Think Atheist and have found great camraderie from fellow Atheists.  One of the greatest parts of the website http://thinkatheist.com is the forum.  One person asked, now that we know there is no heaven, how do we deal with that?

One response was this poem by Digital Cuttlefish called "Worms Go In".  This is a very good poem that pretty-much sums up our plight, whether you are Christian, Mohammedan, Atheist, Agnostic, Christian Scientist, Mormon or any other religion.  We all share the same fate, so why bother fighting and killing one another?  Why fight over who has the better imaginary friend?  Nothing you do on this planet will get you a heaven full of virgins, nor streets of gold.  Prejudice is stupid as are gangs.

Please read the following poem.

When we are dead, we’ll feed the worms
And other stuff that writhes and squirms
And if you cannot come to terms
With that—well, use your head!
There are no ifs nor ands nor buts:
Bacteria within our guts
Will start to eat us; that is what’s
In store, once we are dead.

Yes, life is short and full of toil,
And when we’ve shuffled off this coil
Our carcasses will start to spoil—
There’s nothing wrong with that.
Our share of fish or pigs or cows,
And all the chicken time allows,
Is done. It’s only fair that now’s
The worms’ turn to get fat.

Should we die young, or old and gray,
The laws of nature we’ll obey
And spend our heat in mere decay,
Replenishing the Earth;
“Three score and twelve” may be our years
For love and laughter, hope and fears
And then—mere smoke—life disappears;
No heaven, no rebirth.

And with no heaven up above
Nor hell we ought be frightened of
It’s best we fill our lives with love,
With learning, and with fun!
Don’t waste a lifetime while you wait
For halo, wings, and pearly gate—
This is your life, so get it straight:
You only get the one!

I’ll have no moment lost to prayer,
To cleanse my soul and thus prepare
For passage to… THERE’S NOTHING THERE!
Those moments, all, are wasted!
I’m only here a little time
Before it’s bugs and worms and slime;
I’ll eat and drink my life so I’m
Delicious when I’m tasted!