Is this it?
the carrot said to the cucumber-
to grow and be eaten?
to reach a height, just to be cut
down?

is that all?
the cucumber was silent for a moment
as he mused the carrot’s dilemma-
at length, the cucumber replied,
is that not life?
a beginning and an end?
a start and a finish?
some lives end much sooner than yours,
my friend-
the sun rises and nudges your lips day
after day,
and you marvel at the moon and stars
night after night-
in between, you inhale crisp air,
listen to the world,
and all the while,
grow-
when your time comes,
it will come-
that’s what it is-
you will go on to sustain others,
as bodies go back to their origins
in a perpetual cycle-
your purpose is clear,
and the cycle will go on
until the very last day-
there is always a beginning, a middle,
and an end-
you can’t help your beginning, but you can
make the most of your middle until
your end is decided-
that’s all there is to it-
the carrot thought about that for a long,
quiet while
as it swayed softly under the gentle breeze,
and basked calmly under the warm sun-
it nodded in approval*