The Lottery of Lives

- Encouraged by the book, The Lottery
Most in Hamlet compiled, every man and every child,
Old and young, short and tall, one eighty- four, one four
All were risking their very existence, for their god’s assistance,
The community was small, and from civilization, it was far,
On a cold, cold eve, only a few of them could believe,
What they were about to do, and what they were about to say,
They thought it over once more, then the silence tore,
Until at last, it was said "Draw,"
Equal was everyone’s fate, except the one who would debate,
Why? No, one knew, it was just tradition,
It had always been done, and no complaining, there was none,
Except, for that final one, who would die,
They called every name, every year it was the same,
All the families lined up, and they all drew,
It occurred around the 03/Ides, no comments, no chides,
It was what one could call, the "lottery of lives,"
It was only the local roulette, but no one bet,
Any money, just the regular life,
Crazy, it’s possible, but here it was unstoppable,
All thought, not taking part, meant no friends,
* This poem was never completed.