They all came in their thousand millions

Saber Tooths, Neanderthal's, Do-Do Birds

Homo-Hablis and Dinosours;

gathering for Species Review

in the wide meadow forest.

The homing pigeon said

"Me and mine when we took to the sky

were millions

eclipsing the mid-day sun."

The Buffalo King said "'We once carpeted

the grasslands and once on the move

we made the Earth Thunder."

There were fishes of the sea

amphibians, Sharks and crustaceans,

blow-fish, Australopithecus, great civilizations:

Atlantians, Mayans, Ancient Egyptians,

Romans and Spartans, Huns and Goths-

all cultures which grew, matured and were lost-

to time, bad luck, or circumstance, or overcome by

hordes, climate change, internal strife, or catastrophe.

Some  fell down from internal contradiction-

spent all their energies on murdering one another.

The Ancient One finally rose

amid the Clamoring Laments

all looked up-some saying

"What sir did we do wrong- why did we fail?

What is the secret of survival for species like us?"

'I' he said, "have no great wisdom, each of you expired

for different reasons,

but if I had one highlight to note

failure would be in the failure to adapt,

and to live only by rote."

"The genius of all things is the ability to learn-

to alter patterns and beliefs to fit a changed circumstance.

Fish did learn to live on land,

reptiles learned to fly, the large learned how to live small.

If the climate changes you may have to leave your ancestral home

follow the game; learn to make warm clothes,

guide yourselves by the stars,

make a bed in caves, abandon hunting for horticulture gains."

In all this was a central point, change or go obsolete or become extinct.

There was a general tumult, "Must we then" they all said

"give up things we love and choose change? ;

not us."  they said.

"Must we give up our privileges" some said, 'over my dead body then."

Others said ' I cannot imagine giving up my home and moving on-

how would I survive? "

'We' the Huns said 'must take what we need.'

We'll not change they all said. We will keep what we've earned.'

We will resist."

'Well' the Ancient One said

"no surprize then that you are all extinct.'