The Conspiracy Poem by Ramsey Nasr

science laugh it off
but it's only natural
for crying out loud
it's never clicked between us
the poet

and you
measured man plus chemical woman
laboratory twins of progress
filling petri dishes together sure thing
explain that away
down white corridors i've heard otherwise
in immaculate coats exchanging
proteins between yourselves
nucleotide base pairs maybe
then whispering together
and why do you do it and who for
spit it out! what are you in god's name!
oh my god up to

i've heard all this recently
from confident sources
but heed my words
and - read - lips - kiddo
or we too will cause disaster
with sheet lightning and titans' thunder
hold on to those richter scales
sincerely hold on to me
hold me

your poet

Translation: 2004, David Colmer