Life As A Lighted Cigarette

Life as a lighted cigarette on an ashtray
Left to burn to ashes
or be put out by the wind
Left to be lighted, then forgotten
Or be lighted and consumed greedily
Or to burn steadily, consuming itself
Or be consumed steadily
and be left to burn all the same

Some are lighted easily, and put out just as quick
Some are just tasted, then thrown at a whim
Some lighted at the wrong end
Then thrown away with hate
Some don't get lighted at all.

Yet they all end up as ashes
or cigarette butts as waste
Consume and are consumed
Then thrown away

For most of us,
life is a lighted cigarette on an ashtray
And we all end up the same