Poetry Inspiration at Project Chimps
By Emmett Johnson
Genes came from a reservoir
That form a common ancestor
DNA splits a river into two streams
Across the creeks are two primates
Humans stand tall on two feet
Chimpanzees keep to their knuckles
Faces so distinct they mirror in the creek
Stories of origin found in the iris of an eye
Humans are no greater than chimps
Based on the lucky stroke of evolution
Cruelty comes when chimps are caged
Scrutinize what the chimps are
Rather than recognize commonality
In shared candor and craniums
Further study by beloved Goodall
Saw chimps craft ancient tools which
Proved the river between genes is not vast
Chimps require kindness of human hands
Remedy and restore the wreckage done
From the chimps in lab research
Welcoming tides bring them to a forever home
With love and care at Project Chimps
My Internship’s Inspiration
The poetry inspiration came from my internship at Project Chimps. While interning, I learned much about chimpanzees and the similarities between them and humans. Chimps hold the same level of humanity as humans do. Through researching them and learning their stories, I could not help but feel compassion for them.
Each chimp at Project Chimps is retired from research labs and my heart aches when I learn more about the treatment of these wonderful creatures. Project Chimps offers something special for chimps. It offers a sanctuary where they are treated with the utmost care daily. Whenever I look into the eye of a chimp, I feel as though I am looking into a shared soul. Looking at a chimp up close and interacting with them gave me poetry inspiration.
The people at Project Chimps are also something special, and everyone here is kind. While in this unfamiliar position as an intern I wanted to learn as much as possible about the people, mission, and chimpanzees. Upon starting my internship and learning about the sanctuary, everyone was patient with my many questions. Everyone shares a love for talking about chimpanzees and through these interactions my ability to create relationships grew.
The natural world reflects in creative works because art stems from real-world experiences. Learning about science and facts helps for a more accurate reflection in art because it strengthens the reflection. Art takes the real world to look inward at an artist. Through this internship, I gained the ability to learn something new about the world to create stronger art. With this new knowledge, I hope to spread it to others to teach the importance of compassion towards each living being on Earth.
Do you want to intern at Project Chimps? Learn more by clicking here!
