If I had the choice of life or death Of course I would choose life For all its fettered foibles Its chaos and its strife I’d choose it for the other Would assemble me before The unknown perfidy of gloom Like sullen days of yore I’d choose it for its smile Under skies of gray or blue For its absolute refusal To make a chum of you I’d choose it for the challenge And no matter what that be The beauty and the essence Of my wistful silver sea For the gardenia that is blooming In the garden I call mine And when it droops and wilts it says; I’ll meet you when it’s time