Poetry

Haeckel

They said I should get rid of you, get shot of you. They called you an encumbrance, an inconvenience. They said you would bring me trouble; that you would clip my wings and tie me down and hold me back. Besides they said, right now if Haeckel is correct, you would only be something like a fish or frog, a chick, a hog; a calf at best. You were on your way to becoming human but weren’t human yet.

I used to look at Haeckel’s drawings of microscopic forms. The glassy silica shells of radiolarians and diatoms. Stars and discs and balls and flasks adorned with spines and fronds. The Medusae: red, orange, lilac, grey and pink. There are arabesques, tendrils, frills, ribbons and flounces that might decorate a dress. Others are gold like fantastic chandeliers...

Later I found out Haeckel’s recapitulation theory was mostly incorrect. So, I was glad I wasn’t swayed, even if soon afterwards, they took you away.

Jenny Donnison