SACRIFICE

Okay, here we go with my first attempt at ReadWritePoem. The subject is sacrifice. Now what area of sacrifice should I cover? History is full of sacrificial lambs, and heroes, and those who toiled for a common good.
But sacrifice is more than this. It is more than the memories of history. It is more than a definite decision to do this or that. For sacrifice, it its most common form, is quite simply living. This is what I mean:

SACRIFICE

Sacrifice, that noble cause,
it’s a thing to make us pause;
Historic deeds, we know so well,
soldiers and saints don’t go to hell;
We do it for friends without a thought;
We do it for country, I can report;
We do it for work, we can’t deny;
We do it for love, it makes us so high;
We do it for children, young and pure;
We do it for God, when we’re sure;
And when we’re done, there’s nothing left, that’s true;
But does it matter? I ask of you;
Sacrifice. It’s what we do.

© Anthony North, February 2008

This is a poem inspired by a ReadWritePoem prompt. Have you had a go yet?

HAVE YOU TRIED MY LATEST SHORT SHORT SHORT STORIES?

MY VALENTINE PURE

A heart can burst when pulled so many ways. How do we rationalize a feeling of such joy, of love, of euphoria; yet overlaid with an unbearable sadness? How can the two extremes do anything but rip the heart apart …
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NO JOURNEY’S END

Manders looked out the view screen and sighed. It had been so long since leaving Earth. Of course, it hadn’t taken its toll on his age – deep-space travel had sorted that problem out centuries ago. At least, he thought it had. But …
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STUBBORN GENETICS

READ MY ULTIMATE MAGAZINE POST - Posted every Mon, Tues & Fri (inc poetry)
What’s on today: Could there be another element to behaviour other than nature/nurture? … PLUS … Assessing Super Tuesday. More trouble with Brit police. Will we ever get it right?
YOU KNOW IT’S THE WRITE WAY

STUBBORN GENETICS

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute recently advised that they had identified the ‘stubborn’ gene. The UK media immediately jumped on the bandwagon, claiming this could be why the average Brit can be so bullheaded.
This is a perfect example of bad science meeting an impressionable media. Claiming a third of people have this gene, how can it be that it can explain British bullheadedness unless more Brits have the gene than anyone else?

Well, maybe there is an explanation.

For instance, we speak about evidence for behaviour in terms of nature or nurture. If the latter is involved, then environment plays the central role – if the former, then it may be in your genes.
However, I’ve been convinced for quite a time that there is a third element in this equation. This element is ‘culture’. So how would a cultural influence work upon the person?

Maybe environmental nurture can have a deeper effect.

For instance, consider the possibility of a certain cultural behaviour extending over several generations. Could it be possible that this could actually change the genetic structure of offspiring?
In effect, I am arguing here that natural selection can work equally on a psychological level. Specific cultural behaviour can eventually get into the genes, changing them to how culture suggests. At least, that’s my view and I’m sticking to it.
After all, I am a stubborn Brit.

© Anthony North, February 2008

SERPENT

Serpent slithers around the tree,
placing evil thoughts in thee;
Serpent gets deep within your mind,
leaving desires for you to find;
Serpent advises what you’ll do,
it’s hard to fight, this is so true;
Serpent coils to make you play,
wrapping around to make you stray;
It’s your double-helix DNA

INDECISIVE TUESDAY

So, it is no longer Super Tuesday. Rather, it is Indecisive Tuesday. The race for the White House is, for once, a race. Infact, the only predictable thing about it all is that I got it absolutely right last week …
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RED TAPE POLICE

One of the most obvious signs of a bureaucracy gone mad in Britain is the amount of time the Police have to spend on form-filling. This Red Tape seriously hinders their ability to catch criminals …
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