by Daniel Wilcox
Be forewarned
Of Laskshmi, the goddess
From eastern Bihar;
Not the malformed babe,
She in the incubator
Accidented into life
With eight limbs,
Four armed at birth;*
Now revered by modern
Indians who adore
Her as an incarnation
Of their blessed Hindu
Goddess of that view.
Be delivered
To thinking humans
For modern science,
Of birthed compassion,
30 of them, who doctored
For 24 round the Seven
Removed the extra arms,
Transplanted a vital organ
And reconstructed her bones—
Be thankful
To the Ultimate Reason
From behind the stars;
After surgery,
She was able to stand
In her enlightened manger
Free of 'idol' thoughts;
Be clear and wise;
You misguided worshipers
Of the past's superstition,
Praise the scientific miracle
Of rational healing,
Thank Goodness!
*CNN news of an Indian baby born with four arms and four legs.
Daniel Wilcox earned his B.A. in Creative Writing from Cal State University, Long Beach. He is a former activist and former wanderer of plenty of where. His poetry has appeared various journals including The Centrifugal Eye, Lucid Rhythms, The November 3rd Club, and The Recusant. A short story based on his time in the Middle East was published in the September 2007 issue of The Danforth Review . Currently, he is working on a novel and a poetry collection, and living on the California coast with his mysterious wife and youngest son.