Trees grow tall taking up
sunlight and water.
Bacteria earn their keep
by dancing in the guts
of 4,000 kinds of mammals,
10,000 species of birds,
12,000 of nematode worms.

I live by each bite
of buttered rice,
by stocking the pantry
with dark chocolate
and salted almonds.

And every time
I pour cat chow
into the white China bowl
--ah, I'm making a living,
life's purpose.