First, a poem (from 1993... Yikes!)

Reflections on Nature (5/1/93)

I used to pity the beasts of the wild,
not civilized, like me,
who are condemned by fate, or nature,
to spend an exorbitant amount of time
pursuing living,
that is, the bare necessities of life:
food, protection, shelter.

And yet,
when I am alone with myself,
I sometimes, sadly,
find that I have no other thoughts
than of when I shall be free
from the debt that enslaves me,
when I shall have enough means
to buy the things I want to own,
and eat the things I wish to afford.

And now I pity, most of all, the creature,
whether it be myself (in those hours)
or anyone else, who, in deeming oneself,
or one's species, or one's race,
superior to another,
fails to explore one's innermost depths.

Have we progressed so far,
that we not only judge our fellow humans,
but all of nature as well?