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For All My Fellow (Depressed) Human Beings
by Chris Sorrenti
Having a bad day? Feeling down?
Think ‘your’ life’s tough?
Perhaps a little entomological biology to cheer you up.
Consider the Cicada;
an insect that spends most of its life underground.
17 years to be exact - no bull!
The Cicada larvae feed on sap from tree roots,
and that’s the easy part!
Once mature, in synchronized fashion,
the nymphs must then climb the nearest tree
to stretch their wings and wait for them to dry...
if they make it that far.
While doing so, they run the risk of being eaten
by any number of other animals.
Surviving as long as possible,
they then spend the next 5 to 6 weeks mating,
and after that...yup! You guessed it...they die.
© 2000
1,750 hits as of April 2024
07/17/2005 Posted on 07/18/2005
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Michelle Angelini on 07/18/05 at 01:26 AM Chris, that's otherwise known as "consider the alternative," when depressed and thinking life sucks. I like the pov and the way you express it. Maybe every Monday should be "Consider the Cicada Day"?
~Chelle~ |
| Posted by Maureen Glaude on 07/18/05 at 01:47 AM talk about brief honeymoons! interesting documentary-type poem. |
| Posted by Bet Yeldem on 07/18/05 at 05:12 AM hmmmm.... maybe it's because i'm depressed about my own state of life but... living underground and eating for 17 years sounds, well, not so bad, especially if i can follow it by mating for six weeks and then moving quite happily on to the next world. not the intended reaction, i'm sure, but the thought kind of makes me smile. |
| Posted by Ashok Sharda on 07/18/05 at 04:10 PM Well, man is no different, tends to react to instincts, but for this shrouding known as personality and this fear of the neighbour which keeps him at bay causing this depression. hahahahaah |
| Posted by Rula Shin on 07/18/05 at 04:24 PM Yes, it does seem an arbitrary kind of life, if that is an appropriate word, but I too don't see any real difference in the human life. We are born to procreate and die, essentially. Though in between we believe we are living for so much more, perhaps that is the best trick nature ever pulled on the so called living, making them believe they are truly LIVING hahahaha In any case, somehow it reminds me of the Matrix. |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 07/19/05 at 11:26 AM For a bug, that is indeed natural! For us humans, there IS so much more to live for. That is one of the things that separates humans from the rest of nature. God intended it that way! Thanks for the light touch that has some profound truth! :) |
| Posted by Sarah Graves on 07/19/05 at 09:04 PM Hah, you really put my little self-conflicts into perspective! Thank you.. great read :) |
| Posted by Morgan D Hafele on 07/22/05 at 10:58 AM at least they have wings... haha... good read chris, helps put things in perspective. |
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