A Rather Large War

Step forward
all those willing
to make the supreme sacrifice

How many of you
are prepared
not to pass on your genes
to forgo having children
in order that
sufficient room
is available for
the remainder
of the population
on our planet

How many of you
are willing to be
sterilized at once
in order to ensure
the survival
of our species

How many of you
are prepared to deny
your parents
grandchildren

How many of you
are prepared
to relinquish
motherhood
to never know
that first cry
the moment of birth
first hand

How many of you
big strong guys
are prepared
not to marvel
how the fruit of your loins
never jumps up on you
screaming excitedly:
Daddy, Daddy

I ask how many
because if there
are not enough
we face a lottery for survival
and when that doesn't work
a devastating plague
and a rather large war
will be our only way out