Finding My Voice

Hi, my name is Victor, I’m new around here. I’ll be sharing some of my work with you, I’m a poet, I’ve been performing & competing around the SF Bay Area since 1999, and have been writing since 1989. I’m also an atheist, skeptic and fan of science, and now use these perspectives often in my writing. I used to write love poems, and still do on occasion, although more rational now, think “If I Didn’t Have You” by Tim Minchin. But after reading The God Delusion by Mr. Dawkins, I decided to come out to my poetry community, and have been writing atheist, skeptic themed and science infused poetry for the past 4 years. Oh yeah, I also make the best cheesecake you’ll ever have, I’m still working on shipping so they are local only, for now, but if you’re ever in the area checkout www.reuschelles.com for flavors, pricing and sizes, but that’s not why I’m here, so lets get to it.

I decided that all my skeptic/science/atheist themed work was going to have 80’s movies references in the titles, ‘cause really, how could anyone hate the 80’s? The first poem I’m going to share is titled “Weird Science,” it was born from a writing prompt, and had to reference, senseless killing, god, life, death, and had to be done in 5 days… less time than I normally take to write but I was rather pleased with the finished product.

Weird Science

I am an amazing amalgamation of milliseconds,
a compilation of coincidences,
a collection of infinitely small spans of time
that separate me from the possibility of my blood line.
I have managed to out run
500 million of my brothers and sisters to be here today,
continuing a chain of happenstance
that began moments after the big bang
brought the universe into being.
Matter and energy cannot be
created or destroyed, so the same
molecules that make up me
in this instance have been in existence
for over 13 billion years.
We are heavenly,
but there is no godly hand
evident in the creation of man,
I can instead trace evidence
of my being into the cosmos,
the same elements that make
me unique have been sourced
to create the universe,
I mean, forget Jesus, stars died,
galaxies gave their lives to form my fingertips;
how could I not find wonder in waking up,
be amazed at everyday I open my eyes,
each day I’m granted more time
on this little blue marble
floating through the vast emptiness of space?
I am in awe of life,
to quote Carl Sagan,
“I find it elevating and exhilarating
to discover that we live in a universe,
which permits the evolution of molecular machines
as intricate and subtle as we.”
I am left breathless by the understanding
that my continuance is an example
of the improbable versus the impossible,
and despite what some might think
this gives my life more meaning,
makes each day more precious,
brings into sharp contrast
the importance of each interaction,
lends weight and reality
to the precious actuality
of each person I allow into my life,
because I see that they
are an amazing amalgamation of milliseconds,
a compilation of coincidences,
a collection of infinitely small spans of time
that separates them from the possibility of their blood line,
so I lend assistance where I am able,
offer compassion when I can,
and a hug when life’s weight
proves to great for them to stand,
because when I’m gone
these memories will be
the markers of my legacy,
allowing me to exist for eternity…
or at least a few generations
past my mental exit from this planet,
that moment when my atoms
are reconnected with the cosmos.
I live my life relaxed and happy
knowing that I could be gone tomorrow,
like Stephen Hawking said
“When your expectations are reduced to zero,
you really appreciate everything you have.”

Victor Harris © 2010