Red Cherry Jello
There once was a scientist named Bellows,
he did research in Antarctica with other fellows.
Between layers of earth in the permafrost ice,
they discovered living bacteria so very precise.
Bellows stroked his beard and laughed savagely -
he knew the bacteria was key to immortality.
But how could he possibility smuggle it from view
with the other scientists trying to snatch it too?
Well, Bellows liked jello, unlike the other fellows,
he liked all flavors but was partial to lemon yellows.
But he knew using cherry red, it’d be easier to hide
so he scooped up the bacteria and hid it inside.
Bellows iced down the jello and laid it on dry ice,
absconded with the bacteria without thinking twice
for he knew this bacteria was unlike any other -
it had arsenic inside, not phosphorous or another.
Bellows extracted the bacteria from red cherry jello
and injected it into himself, feeling quite mellow,
knowing full well that it was alternative life form,
believing it would extend life above the norm.
Bellows first had tried it on fruit flies and mice
and on human blood cells more than twice.
When he tried it on himself, he never caught
the flu or colds or diseases others fought.
Bellows never died, he lived longer than wife
and his children and friends without any strife.
But he no longer knew anyone on earth
with alternate life form ingrained in his girth.
Bellows was lonely so he injected some others,
knowing he wanted friends if he had his druthers.
Everyone was now comprised of alternate life forms,
not so alternate any more but more like the norms.
So Bellows and the new experimental fellows
lived on forever thanks to the cherry red jello
with the bacteria which wiggled and jiggled,
danced and pranced and sometimes giggled.
History Class
Who wants to know about tyrant kings?
Suffering humanity, despots,
megalomaniacs?
Take your pick
Dull wars, costly reparations,
separated families,
famines, greed, fires
Why even learn
if we cannot profit?
We left it to the founders
to create something near perfect
“Let them burn,” we said,
“burn the midnight oil.”
We got what we wanted,
and for a while
followed it to a “T”
Pretty soon leaders
and followers
found
ways to loop around.
A little bit here, a bit there
who’s to notice?
We set precedents
and before long,
we tore the fabric
of ideals, forethought, and labor.
Why persist?
Civil war divides
then it unites
For a brief while
we are strong
shining like a beacon
in our unity.
We don’t go the full way
to sign, seal, and deliver.
A small crack
unaddressed
leads to a fissure
not repaired
leading to a
a yawning schism
and an unbridgeable
polarity.
Mass destruction shocks
genocide kills
we learn from it
vow not to repeat.
Yet, we forget
our promise not to repeat.
We forget what we learned
forget to pass it on.
You say parallel universe?
It’s right here.
It’s found in ignorance
in passing on the past
Parallel Universe?
A society divided, a country unbridged
a religion forgetting humanity.
It’s there in front of you
as you stand alone
with déjà-vu eyes.
It’s there in your solitary voice
reminding one of the past.
It’s there in the acceptance
of substandard choice.
It’s there
in collective,
apathetic
amnesia.
Parallelism
beats its chest
helplessly
watching
history
rreeppeeaattiinngg
in a single universe
It’s replete
with knowledge
no one cares to
hear,
or
wants to know,
or
cares to debate
an idea,
a thought,
a possibility
that
we
may
no
longer
have
a spoiled luxury
called
the
do-over.
Joy of the Sea
Listen to the rhythm
ocean’s heartbeat,
awakening my longing
as my lips follow
shape of shivers.
My soul overflows,
buried deep within
aqua waves -
whispering hiss
of worries carried
away by sea surges,
strings of pelicans
strung in V’s
single blue crayon line
ocean meets sky.
Voltage jolts with
salt air breaths
wildness unrestrained
as calmness settles
like residue on skin
touched by silver fingers
of unfathomed sea,
ocean crests protecting
like warm wombs,
stars mobbing sky
in evening blackness,
drops of myself
left in grains of sand,
salted kernels sifting
through my soul.