Life's Big Mistake?

By Ed Crane

Fri, 11 Oct 2013
  • 773 reads
6 comments
 

Life evolved to propagate; proliferate;

generate. It took a very long time, but

it overcame adversity and came up with

diversity and now it seems impossible to

obliterate. A million years of volcanic

violence reduced it to just a trace, but

it was enough to refuel a resurgence with

a renewed sense of urgence which filled

the planet with giants, only to be brought

down by extra terrestrial fire. Again it rose up

from the mire, as little balls of fur. Maybe

this was life’s mistake, since they  produced  

intelligence which believes it rules its world

and plunders its mysteries, endangering itself

and all life in its infinite complacency, but no

need be concerned since life is only chemistry.

 

 

Certificate 12
Poem
Nature

Comments

Submitted by scratch on

Really good Ed.  There are some uncomfortable truism in this piece.  A friend of mine is an ecologist and he goes by the optimistic mantra that 'the planet will always heal itself' personally I'm not so sure.

Does this need an edit maybe?:

 
"it was enough (to) refuel a resurgence with"
 
And should "It" in the fourth line be capitalised?
 
good poem nonetheless.  Well done.

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Thanks Scratch ---- I never was much of a typist. I'm pleased you liked it.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Although I admire the structure you've produced in your verse, and your perception of the pride of man(/woman)'s intelligence producing harm, as a biochemist I would point out that the increased and increasing biochemical knowledge is making it impossible to believe in the possiblity of the development of life from material components without design (ie a Designer/Creator). In Darwin's day and for a long time afterwards the hope was in either 'learnt characteristics being inherited' or mutations bringing good change. They damage, and cause loss of information and to make good change many 'good' mutations would have to occur simultaneously
Rhiannon

http://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/limitations-science-study-past

http://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/great-delusion

http://www.abctales.com/story/rhiannonw/biochemistry

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Thank you Rhiannon for reading and commenting on the poem.

Regarding the content, as a Chemist, I feel I must refrain from entering a discussion on the subject you mentioned.

I have decided to go back to my original draft and remove the prefix, 'bio'

 

 

Submitted by Bee on

Carefully chosen words - this flows really well and the ending is great. Really enjoyed the exploration of your ideas.

Bee

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Thanks very much, Bee.