The umbilical cord delivers essence, sparkle, verve and vigor. The twists, kinks and turns tell of trails yet to be taken, winding into the future. Blood vessels within this aqueduct are serried with stem cells, fountains to measured dominion, flumes of primary color blending on to the retina, fumes incensing the nares, flavors savoring the tongue, electrons charging tactile synapses, and pulsating rhythms against tympanic membranes tuned to two beating hearts today and hearts of unending tomorrows. This raveled conduit nurtures major organs, marrows bones and delivers maternal hormones to charge the brain with emotion and open receptor gates for knowledge. Then birth. The umbilical cord is severed and clamped. From a circuitous vein precious stem cells are collected, DNA sequenced, frozen, and saved.---Fifty years go by. Thinned by shrapnel, the remaining muscle fibers of a chambered heart are near exhaustion when stem cell generated stranded contractile fibers join their brothers in concert. Others follow. Days later a wounded soldier walks. A year later his newborn daughter's umbilical cord is clamped, then needled to harvest precious stem cells for unending tomorrows.
Augustus / Houston, TX / June 2017
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Author:
Augustus (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: June 7th, 2017 08:56
- Comment from author about the poem: This perhaps should be two poems, one about stem cells and the other about the umbilical cord. Putting the two together left the poem a bit overworked. Thanks for reading.
- Category: Short story
- Views: 23
Offline)
Comments3
You really can't have one without the other .
True. Thanks for reading.
The research which must have gone into this gives readers so much insight into the exchange when new life is conceived - your explanation engages from the very first line dear friend - these are the vital facts to remember when in silent prayer or meditation. How great the Intelligence behind these arrangements for human life we can at best wonder in awe.
An aspect that perhaps could have been weaved in, the intelligent design that makes it all possible. Thanks for appreciating the research, though parts were a bit fantasy.
Momentous piece of work, my friend! I agree with Fay, that we must but wonder at the intelligence behind this scheme of creation. This one is a beauty, Augustus.
Yup, this one did not just come to me in its entirety, but evolved over several days. Thanks
I can imagine. Don't you love it when one does just seem to materialize in its entirety in your head!
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