In the Next Life, Canto I, stanzas 153-158

Some occupants will try to live outside,
trade walls for room to move, and warmth for cold.
The lucky will regret they ever tried,
and they, with those who’ve stayed, will form the mold.

Confining though their mobile life might seem,
it will be better than no life at all,
and safe inside the vessels they can dream
of human life before the comet’s fall.

Oh sure, they can take shore leave, as it were,
but even short excursions will be rare.
Though armed, they will not know what might occur.
They’ll find new dangers lurking everywhere.

We can expect some major faunal change:
Most larger animals will be extinct,
and those with simple diets or small range
will see their food chain quickly come unlinked.

With our imaginations we might find
examples of those likely to succeed.
The Norway rat is one that comes to mind;
it has the qualities that it would need.

You get the picture, don’t you? It’s not nice.
Why not just stay inside? It’s safe and warm.
Why bother facing hordes of giant mice
when they can live a good life free from harm.

©2010 Louis A. Merrimac