The human species has given me
the right to be mortal
the duty to be civilised
a conscience
2 eyes that don't always function very well
a nose in the middle of my face
2 feet 2 hands
speech
the human species has given me
my father and mother
some brothers maybe who knows
a whole mess of cousins
and some great-grandfathers
the human species has given me
its 3 faculties
feeling intellect and will
each in moderation
32 teeth 10 fingers a liver
a heart and some other viscera
the human species has given me
what I'm supposed to be satisfied with
Raymond Queneau
1903-1976
Interesting bio on Queneau, yet another I don't know. The poem is an odd one, though quite a punch in the last line. I'm given to wonder, what was on his mind that gave rise to this poem?
ReplyDeleteSome people seem self-satisfied, but rarely do I find people satisfied with what they were/are given.
ReplyDeleteIt is sometimes important to go back to basics ; let's just first take ourselves for what we are and work our way up from there, if we can !
ReplyDelete