The Playground Poem by Richard Dates

At the end of this game
I’m supposed to
Head toward a light
And slide down some tunnel
I have not yet seen.

Is that tunnel,
Tumbling toward the light
Just my last illusion
In this playground,
Or does it lead somewhere beyond?

Will I go
Whee, this slide is fun,
When my turn comes up,
And then just fly off
Into nothingness,
Or will I emerge into
Some other realm of reality?

For now
I’m just riding on the
Merry-go-round
Waiting for my turn,
While the big kids push and shove
Arguing about who’s the toughest kid
And whose Daddy is
The biggest and the best.