The difference

I wandered round what you said
about us being superior to animals
because we do good things
for no reason but I wonder
if the reason's that it makes us feel good
even if it's just the old cold
christian twisted way of goodness
cobbled together with self denial.

There was an experiment once
where scientists gave chimps
pieces of paper they'd scribbled on one half
and the chimps all scribbled on the other half
as if they had an instinctive need
to recreate balance. I wonder if
confronted with something wrong
we could right like a spirit level
we feel the same need.

All living things are inclined to tip
natures balance to their favour if they can
but our brains have enabled us to tip
it so far we can barely sink any lower
weighing down the future.

You talked also of animals being unable to project
thoughts into the future, they cannot expect,
plan : live only for the present
their immediate environment. As I walk
I see a piece of glass on the path
pick it up sharp and new broken
as a mistake
I take it with me to stop an animal cutting
their foot on it.

You said that animals can't imagine
how it is to be another, are just self interested.
A little further on
there's another piece of glass
and I pick that up too but
there's another and another
scattered all along the path; someone must have done this on purpose to
cause pain;
there's no one around - in the hope
then of causing a hurt they would not
even be there to enjoy, just the thought.
My hand's full of glass
and when I get home, open my fingers to tip
it in the bin
there's blood just like an animal's