The Distance Between Poem by Laurence Overmire

Your genes are 99.9% identical to all human beings

That's 99.9% identical to your brother
And 99.9% identical to your first cousin

And 99.9% identical to your 35th great grandmother
And your half 12th cousin 8 times removed

So you tell me about the distance between relationships
Why we say we are closer or farther apart

From one human being to another
Making this one somehow more significant than that

And I'll say to you that it isn't the "distance" that matters
It's the relationship itself that counts

So the next time you hear people talk about race and religion
And war and poverty and hunger

Or peace

Think about the distance
It's not very far, no not far at all

From you to anyone else.

~ Laurence Overmire