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Nature vs Nurture

How awful is that,
          being killed
in a deadly elephant
          attack,
or being eaten
          by a crocodile?

You cannot tame
          those rhinoceros, 
nor ride the backs
          of river horses*
or peaceably sleep 
           in a nest of vipers!

I shall then dwell
          within the city,
where the animals 
           are criminals
and where wolves 
          live among the sheep.

Nature can be deadly,
          nurture even worse,
animals live by instinct
          humans live by choice
 within the curse;
           to do good or do not.

* hippopotamos literally means "river horse," from hippos "horse" and potamos "river"


Copyright © Chetta Achara

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Book: Shattered Sighs