Carved on the stone is a name long forgot

Cut by the hand of a man we know not

The stone all askew, the grave long untended,

A small life lived long but long ago ended.

Few are remembered, and many not known.

Many will leave as we came, all alone.

Even the great and the good (and the bad)

will one day be dust, just a speck or a tad.

It’s how it must be, it’s the law of decay

all of us, everyone, is fading away,

and with us goes all that we did or we said,

for all those that knew us will also be dead,

and when they are gone we will fade like a kiss.

You may not believe me but just think on this:

which of your forebears first trod on these shores?

Who really gave you those blue eyes of yours?

The answer is someone that you never knew

and in some years time that is someone like you.

I’ll stay unremembered, I like it like that.

Fame’s just a trollop in an overpriced hat.

When the time comes, when I’ve had all my fun,

when this son has set, when I’m over and done,

please unmark my grave and then throw me away.

And rub out my name. There’s no need to stay.