If You Could Be An Animal

If you could be an animal,
Which one would it be?
Which one shares your personality?
Would you be mammal, or amphibian,
Perhaps a reptile, or a fowl,
The strength and memory of an elephant,
Or the wisdom of an owl?
Or maybe one that science says is probably
A branch upon our family tree?

It's anthropologists' contention
That the simian's most like us,
Though that theory's raised an awful lot of dust.
They cite the chimpanzee, especially,
As being anything but dumb,
He has a brain as big as ours
And an opposable thumb.
Of course, if being a monkey's cousin makes you cuss,
Blame Charlie Darwin for the fuss.

Or maybe you'd select a species
That's endangered or extinct,
Each few years the list is adding one or two.
But we'll keep chopping down their habitats
To put up shopping malls,
Apartment homes, and parking lots,
'til one day it befalls
The ones who're left
Will dwindle down to just a few,
And they'll be living in a zoo.

Evolution proves we're better off
As the species that we are,
There's no need to alter chromosomes or genes.
But as the human population here
Continues to explode,
And unless somebody figures
How the excess to unload,
Then it won't matter who we know
Or what our means,
We'll have no choice but be sardines.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2022


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Date: 10/19/2022 5:43:00 PM
Hey Jim …..really clever and interesting write which i really enjoyed! What would i be…..Debx
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Jim Slaughter
Date: 10/20/2022 11:30:00 AM
Thanks, Deb. It would be difficult for me to choose, also.
Date: 10/18/2022 12:19:00 PM
Enlightening and interesting, Jim, such much to consider. Microevolution is inevitable. If we were a snake or a bug, it wouldn't matter to us because that would be all we know. No one beast gets off easy, they all get eaten. "How the excess to unload?" ...[Animal Kingdom] snakes as big as a house, devouring lions! ;)
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Jim Slaughter
Date: 10/18/2022 2:21:00 PM
Thanks, Anaya. I think the worst thing that ever happened to humans is when they managed to remove themselves from the food chain.
Date: 10/15/2022 2:36:00 PM
Well said Jim. Nicely put. I totally agree, God Bless, JB
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Jim Slaughter
Date: 10/16/2022 10:38:00 AM
Thank you, Judy.
Date: 10/15/2022 1:14:00 PM
Interesting food for thought, Jim! Love the ending…
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Jim Slaughter
Date: 10/15/2022 1:19:00 PM
Thanks, Ilene. I'd much rather write about 'em than be 'em.
Date: 10/15/2022 10:21:00 AM
Evocative indeed, Jim. Just don't want to be a snake. ~;o)
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Jim Slaughter
Date: 10/15/2022 10:29:00 AM
Thanks, Arlo...or any kind of insect, either.
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