Promotion

Hello kiddies -- I felt I should give a bit endorsing Rob, Rich, and Jacob. For those who do not know, they are biking across the country, from Yorktown, VA to Astoria, OR. Just 3 bodies, 3 bikes, and the gear strapped on. Rob is trying to drop blog updates when he can; I encourage you to check them out:

trackrob.blogpot.com

Anyway, thought some might be interested. Best of luck, celerity, and safety to those three. An impressive journey -- and exploratory picnic indeed! Rich is keeping a blog as well: findrich.blogspot.com

They departed yesterday (Sat, May 26). Czech it out!

Natural Selection

I.

Probably not an elemental epiphany,

They say, but rather, those tiny organic compounds

Came on the tail of some gray comet, soaring through the

Atmosphere, to settle contently in a warm bath

And marinate on notions of expansion,

For billions of years. Perhaps our quest for outer space—

Hungry and bold—is nothing more

Than a quest for home.

II.

If legs were once fins, and we breathed deep with gills,

Then who’s the fool who fears the swimming pool?

Could it be that it was us among the kelp, dressed in

That slimy texture, like some night-time avocado lotion?

Well, who would know that such a wholesome rub would be

Washed to the sallow shore and turned to tufts of fur?

The bonobo, the chimp: deceiving imps?

Why should we fear friends so near?

If only Charles were here to tell us what comes next.

Hot fire breath, light boned wings, and lung-gills to boot?

Or some ESP to inform us the route?

III.

And now, the process has slowed, perhaps soon

Obsolete. We champion our very own

Natural Selection with medicine and sympathy.

And honorable technology, hungry and bold

With its runaway resource quest, moves like a global egg hunt,

Rich and happy among the sun dresses and spring picnics.

But we shall sleep surely when the dark Easter night comes.

And that same dumb power that some mock in jest

Will tuck us all in, and lay our species to rest.

-PC