Classic Poem

Here lies Fred,
Who was alive and is dead:
Had it been his father,
I had much rather;
Had it been his brother,
Still better than another;
Had it been his sister,
No one would have missed her;
Had it been the whole generation,
So much the better for the nation:

But since 'tis only Fred,
Who was alive and is dead,
There's no more to be said.