I am Charles Darwin—ninety-nine point nine percent
There’s a little variation that I don’t share with the gent
But we share a common blueprint, which is kinda what he meant
When he came to the conclusion that we’re all of shared descent
I am Charles Darwin—what I mean is, I am Man
I’m a billion trillion accidents instead of One Big Plan
Just a step or two from chimpanzee or from orangutan
Maybe more than distant cousins, but you recognize the clan
I am Charles Darwin—I can’t help it; it’s my genes
We’re mutation and selection, see, when no one intervenes
Like a god with claimed omnipotence, or alien machines
None better and none worse than us, is really what it means
I am Charles Darwin—I was never Eden-cursed
I am just another animal, I’m neither best nor worst
From primordial beginnings, look how widely I’ve dispersed
Such a beautiful idea…Charles Darwin saw it first.
cuttlecap tip to PZ
10 comments
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The Ridger, FCD
November 17, 2008 at 8:14 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I really like this one. Really.
Matthew
November 17, 2008 at 9:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is among your best work.
Podblack
November 18, 2008 at 9:26 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Off-topic and politically incorrect (why did I think of you… ;) ): http://jokesfunny.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/christmas-carols-for-the-psychiatrically-challenged/
Podblack
November 18, 2008 at 9:28 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
@*&#@*#& – too long, try this:http://tinyurl.com/5zuasg
Podblack
November 18, 2008 at 9:29 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
BTW – nominating this poem for the Open Lab book:http://tinyurl.com/yousubmittoo
Bill
November 18, 2008 at 11:23 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This is by far one of the best things I’ve read this year; not just on your blog, but overall.
Cuttlefish
November 18, 2008 at 11:52 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Wow. Gee, I guess it will have to go in Volume 2!Thanks, people! It took maybe half an hour, while I was fixing dinner. I never know which things people are going to like–it rarely corresponds to how much effort it took!
Sili
November 18, 2008 at 5:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Comgrats.And thank you.
Thinker
November 19, 2008 at 2:22 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I am Charles Darwin – of course, what else is new?But I’m Wallace and McClintock, Stephen Gould and Watkins too.It is weirdly schizophrenic, but nonetheless it’s true:in the sense of everything we share, quite simply, I am You!
Thinker
November 20, 2008 at 2:51 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks!However, I realize there is an error in there: I intended to write Watson, not Watkins. Honestly, I don’t know where that name came from…