by Lynn Gilbert

“Falling sperm counts ‘threaten human survival,’ expert warns.”
—The Guardian

A research M.D., Shanna Swan,
has her doubts that we humans can spawn:
The species is growing infirm
because of its low count of sperm.
Of benchmarks for vulnerable species,
we meet three of five—that’s what she sees.
The planet sighs, “I’ll get along
if humankind sings its Swan song.”