Canned Goods Keep

I'm telling you Bartholomew.
These will last through The Apocalypse.
When my neighbors ask, "how did you live?"
I'll say, "I put my trust in preserved goods.
I set my hopes on lasting strengths
And they did not let me down."

I know this is true. I've done it before.
Remember the war, Bartholomew?
Remember when we fought our brothers?
And I thought "certainly brotherhood lasts.
Surely this will all blow over like the last war.
Brotherhood keeps.

Like a stone flung into a lonely pasture,
Like the final swallow of yesterday's coffee,
Like my mother's warm smile and gentle touch
Years after her passing, Like Love, and like hatred,
Surely brotherhood keeps."

We both know, Bartholomew.
We both know how quickly brotherhood
Shatters in the face of something wicked.
When our neighbors asked, "how did he go?"
I said, "Don't put your trust in blood.
There was a wickedness that took him.
Only it took me first and that is how he went."

Come with me Bartholomew.
Let us leave the neighbors to their chatter,
Let us find our brother where he sleeps,
We know the only things that matter,
We have the lasting strength that keeps,
And it will never let us down.