Warning

If you would like the future
People, ten thousand years hence,
A hundred thousand years hence,

To not dig up the waste sites
Of radioactive mess,
We recommend that you don’t

Try any warning at all,
Since the effect of warnings
Of curses and disasters

Shooing away grave robbers
From tombs only encouraged
More aggressive tomb raiding.

Don’t even hint anything
Interesting might be down there.
They’ll dream of fabulous wealth

And dig sooner. Not knowing
There’s anything underfoot,
Good or bad, is the best way

To get people to leave it
Alone. Every sign ever
Made was an invitation.