If I had the choice of life or death

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