The Countdown.

Ten of us had lived out our nine,
Nine of us split into eight;

Eight of us were in the laps of seven,

Seven of us slipped into six;

Six of us counted the five,

Five of us held up a four;

Four of us were a crowd of three,

Three of us came in with two;

Two of us held on to one,

One of us was alive.

Thus was---the story

One of them was dying,
Two of them clung onto one;

Three of them bullied the two,

Four of them crowded the three;

Five of them counted to four,

Six of them held up the five;

Seven of them slipped past the six,

Eight of them lapped up the seven;

Nine of them split up the eight,

Ten of them had used up their nine.