Cloned Trees in the Cloned Wood

„Woodland images“ as partly sarcastic visual comment on gene technology.

After the application of nuclear fission technology possibly the last step of influencing and interfering with what were before fairly well ordered, organised and proven processes of life around us.  And my take, that they should be superior and given our present still-all-too-human state of development and standing on this earth well out of the reach of greedy hands.

But I have to concede and make allowances, I could be wrong, and once the snowflakes come in wonderfully regular straight columns and stars are finally absolved and relieved of stellar chaos – labour saving maintenance and cleaning etc. – well then…

…there will be indeed no more obstacles to our happiness.

 

The question remains though as to who owns the trees? The timber alone is often questionable enough – but the genetic code?

 

So I add here a poem in the same spirit by my good friend Terry Cunningham, even if coming from different personal circumstance, time and place:

 

Who owns the Birds

 

Who owns the birds

that sing in the trees

and fly hither and thither

from the sportsman’s aim.

Who owns the birds ?

 

Who owns the clouds

that bring the soft rain

that grows the good food

that the fat man eats.

Who owns the clouds ?

 

Who owns the  wind

that tousles your hair

and carries the varied scents

from the local dump.

Who owns the wind ?

 

Who owns the stars,

the little far-away stars

that wink unseen

as they dash to their cars.

Who owns the stars ?

 

Lovers, that’s who.

We own the stars,

You and Me

We own the stars…

 

Don’t  we ?

 

Terry Cunningham 1990