Soliloquy

(The year is 2040)

“I didn’t wear my undies over my pants
Against Arkham I took a very rigid stance
Even if my eyes lacked your X-ray scan,”
Said the venerable Batman to Superman,

Superman, now old and fragile, lifts his head
Starts to say something but stares right ahead
“At least I didn’t drive around in a toy-machine
And I was always the first at any death scene.”

The Bat winces and goes to buy the next round
As Filan is playing in the background
Superman waves the offer away
Slips a fiver into the burnt ashtray..

“I’ve faced the lot of them with ease,
Be it the Joker or Bane or some disease,
All you had to deal with was a certain Lex
See, I’ve already given you a complex!”

“But hang on there, I was born in Krypton
The money you came into- that I had none!
Saving the earth was all part of a plan,”
Said the now- drunk Superman to Batman.

“Whatever you may claim, I have never killed
And for your couple of pints I was billed
Let’s get you home before you start a ruckus
Where are those kids who used to worship us?”

“The world today is worse than when we were around
Why are people today scared of making a sound?
Why don’t they help their own kind in need?
We’re better off retired,” “Indeed!”

“They need us today more than ever before,
Alas! We’re too old now to stage an encore,
The people can change the world if they can
Didn’t you always have faith in them, O Batman?”

So Superman slumps but the Batman’s alright
As they make their way home after another night
Nobody recognises them in the streets any more,
To a point they wonder what they’re living for.

They’ve lost their strength and the will to fight
And they’re shocked at seeing the world’s plight
Two men who always did what was right
Stagger away in the darkness into the night.