The sum of all our parts - a poem by Clint Wastling
Tue 4th February 2020
Why don’t we sing with the dawn chorus?
8000 generations have gone before us
until the threshold of an ancestor
crossed from Homo sapiens to Homo ergaster.
The sum of all who’ve departed
preserved in all who live today.
Their gift is in our double helix of DNA.
A fragile present.
When I look into the dawn,
glad once more of daylight,
who amongst our ancestors
first heard the blackbird, robin, wren
combine and raise an avian chorus
and who will be the last?
Clint’s poetry collection, from which The Sum Of All Our Parts is taken, is called Layers and is available from Tourist Information, Beverley. The launch is Wednesday 5th February 7.30pm at The Monks Walk.
