As carriers of apocalyptic pathogens
One neuron connection in their heads
Equal to billions in maybe three of ours
Whilst we look at pixelated pictures from long dead rovers
They devour whole planets with immense ease

Giving little heed to the lukewarm heat of dark matter
Giving little heed to the burning balls of gas and immensely strong gravitational pulls
Giving little heed to the limitations of their bodies
Giving little heed to any limitations of any archaic craft they happen upon

The rust covered metal eviscerated by the smallest even gust of celestial wind
While they sit high and mighty in their defeats of other civilizations
Some predating our contemporary universe, whilst eyeing evolving dusty orbs
Caring not for our pitiful attempts at visiting them

Chortling at our bulky spacecraft and our golden record of pointless words
Occasionally watching  and wondering whether or not we might be a threat
Whizzing off to their vacation on the Andromeda galaxy once they realize we’re not
While we fail to determine the  five minutes into the future
They’ve managed to plan harvesting five months in advance

We should beg them to visit and pay them to get us into intergalactic trade
We should wonder how they’ve managed to survive roaming black holes
We should wonder how many galaxies they’ve seen devoured
We should wonder where they now call home
And what might have happened to the old if there is now a new

Us Earthlings haven’t neither the foggiest idea of the immensity of the universe
Nor do we frequently imagine a world not revolving around us
Nor do we contemplate the ever present lingering of death
Nor do we abandon our egocentric ways, even in the face of adversity

So may the glasses be raised to toast a race that’s managed to survive extinction
May the glasses be raised to a race that can map whole galaxies
May the glasses be raised to a race that has yet to tear themselves to shreds
May the glasses be raised to a race that lets us live out our existence