A Fair Question Poem by Seamus O' Brian

a fair question, neal, and one with impact. and this poem is nicely crafted—the rhymes feel effortless and make it memorable; in, out, done—like the shot of an arrow. where it sends my mind is to what i thought about longevity in my early twenties to what i think about it now. i've thought of writing a poem about this but haven't yet. in my early twenties i had no other way to relate to longevity but projecting that younger self ahead. but for a while now i've been relating to what the seventy-five-year-old man said to me when i was in my fifties, growing old ain't for sissies. and my dad, who lived past eighty-six, used to say, only the good die young. hoping this finds you in fine fettle (i like this phrase) , glen

I love the shortness of the poem (and personally prefer shorter poems) so this is a favorite for me. Short poems are more like beautiful frames than the art itself, being less the center of attention and more the gracious host...well done

Brilliant question! What do you think the answer would be? I'm guessing the odds would be high.