Nature Or Nurture Poem by Stephen Zabaldo

in those languid moments of synaptic stupor pierogi and borscht settle in a sour cream dollop of reverie
aunt vi and the fifty pound lasagna of spoiled cheese
vic and grace -good bread good meat, good god let's eat—pass the biscuits please
wally was like a father to me
as far as i knew a father to be
uncle ralph as his so transparent altruism, my mom and her extended hand
my working single mother of two and
her humble callused hand

the environmental factors; unsupervised by necessity
independent by default
cob-webbed coal bender refuge
running for the sake of the chase
the cops had no chance

the future—such a distant thing—irrelevant
the experiments that lasted far too long
running for the sake of escape
my mom had no chance

the genetic factors; resilient by necessity
hearty by default
fire burns—my hand is proof
my scars are my story
i am the product

in the past i pondered—what if…?
but have since recognized the futility
i am the product…and
i'd have it no other way