Ape Man

Inside me an ape man hides

i know because by osmosis he seeps

into my soul

so that 

instinct overrules 

fear triggers 

adrenaline surges

fists clench

I know what's fair

but how I know I owe to him

who knows what courage is

and knows what's in our genes

challenged we strive

we grow we feed

pull ourselves up

though gravity pulls us down

our minds learn to muscle up

to crawl to stand

inside me a genetic core

programmed to survive

easy to provoke

be careful

don't trespass on my freedom

for I'm one of many in my tribe

all programmed to survive

straining at the yoke

to fight another bloke

if needs must 

should we forget we're civilized

Dick Russell © Richard M Russell

                    2024