Replication error

We've all lost friends to this. 

Some aunts, some mothers 

have felt its ghoulish kiss. 

We cry salt tears and wonder

at the order in the universe

as the finger touches 

sister, brother, friend and lover 

with its deadly curse. 

Random chance? 

Work of a malign god?

It makes our command 

of nature seem a fraud. 

You see, we copy ourselves

endlessly both the even and the odd. 

And sometimes the copy's 

not as good as gold. 

In so doing we create and 

perpetuate many of life's terrors 

that we could cure with ease 

if we really wished, 

famine, hunger, war, disease

and unfair distribution of wealth. 

These are just replication errors. 

Why should we rail at fate

when we find the defense 

of nature is to attack by stealth?

If we fix the rest before it's too late

maybe we can win the right to abate 

the error in our own sell-by date.