Living Witnesses Poem by john tiong chunghoo

do we ever die?
the planets and suns
were all once - living beings
they found an alternative way
to live and we are the living witnesses
one day we will too be able to
give up this physique to let the
fire in us be the sun
our spirituality the mountains and the universe
our intelligence the moon
breathe the breeze
our veins and arteries
the rivers and streams
our nature the four seasons
and our love - running creatures
who too would live to share our destiny

rewritten version

do we ever die?
a question gawking
at us like a million stars
are they harbingers
of good news? glittering
with promises of a life beyond?
that the planets and suns
were all once - living beings?
who have scored high with
an alternative way to live?
are we the living witnesses
of their love, waiting only
to be inspired? so that one day
we too will be able to give up
a cumbersome physique to let the
fire in us be the sun
our spirituality the mountains
and the universe
our intelligence the moon
veins and arteries
the rivers and streams
our nature the four seasons
and our love - running creatures
who too would live to share our destiny?