When all else fails,
fail boldly,
fail with conviction,
as a hammer speaks to a nail,
or a lamp left on in daylight.
Say one.
If two does not follow,
say three, if that fails, say life,
say future.
Lacking future,
try bucket,
lacking iron, try shadow.
If shadow too fails,
if your voice falls and falls and keeps falling,
meets only air and silence,
say one again,
but say it with greater conviction,
as a nail speaks to a picture,
as a hammer left on in daylight.