Evolution

My aunt Beth had a man once
who we only saw twice
who had a big smile,
a daughter,
and a heroin addiction.

Aunt Beth was in love
and she and the man
made three more children.
One is fourteen and cannot speak,
perhaps on account of the drugs.

Aunt Beth was sad
because the man was gone
most of the time
doing god knows what
and she had three children all to herself.

Aunt Beth has got a lot of ancestors
way back to protozoa
and some other weird shit
we don't know about
that may never be discovered.

Aunt Beth's ancestors passed down their traits
a stomach
a brain
a reproductive system
the capacity to love.

Aunt Beth is sometimes so sad
that she regrets a lot of things,
and she doesn't remember to eat.
Sometimes she does not
want to be alive.

Aunt Beth is not the fittest
of all
but she survived long enough,
at least,
to pass on the pain.