(Poem 354 for 2024 – I am writing a poem a day)

The spiral ladders of DNA
that make us who we are
could fill eternity with the
variations and unique
combinations of traits,
but a few things remain
constant as the sunrise—
we’re all made of sugar,
acid, and stone, at least,
that’s the way I remember.

Deoxyribo is the sugar part;
nucleic acid is nitrogen and
phosphates found in the
nucleus, the acid and rock.
All living things have four
bases that make up their
chromosomes, two couples
who are mated for life—
Adenine with Thymine,
Cytosine with Guanine,
till death do they part.

We can’t do anything about
our mendelian traits,
they are etched in our bones,
but other genes can be turned
on or off depending on factors
around, in, because of, or
in spite of our efforts and the
forces of nature, our environment,
our thoughts, feelings, beliefs,
and everything else we are
buffeted by against our will.

There will come a day
when disease will be cured
by fixing the program,
turning on or off the genes
we already have written
in our code but simply
need someone to tinker
with a little, so much
gentler than the draconian
medical procedures
of cut and remove,
destroy and cauterize;
our descendants will feel
sorry for what we endured,
and study us in awe
of our blind faith.

@Home Studio – 354th poem of the year

Runner ups for the DNA photos to accompany my poem: