Young men, don’t speak to old men
if you don’t want to know
all the things you are doing wrong.

Don’t even look at us 
if you don’t want to know
what it looks like

after fear’s been washed out
of skin and clothes and
eyes. It’s going to look

a little different from one to
the other of course: maybe
we will look noble

or maybe empty,
or still look
as we always did,

but don’t risk the glimpse
of what may be coming soon
to a body and soul like yours. 

Sit back and let us be,
Trust me, in general
you don’t want to know

what we know —
and trust me, we will
tell you.