Soma, Chapter 6

The Epic Life of Socrates Savage, Part the First

Oh Gods! Lend me your resounding voice
For this is not mine, but your choice
For me to tell mortals of Socrates Savage,
Whose exploits time will not ravage.
I will ensure that time will not forget his birth
on Piru Street, his exposure to violent Earth.
HIs mother could not afford hospital care,
Her only midwife, a towel and polluted air.
She gave birth out in the front yard at night
Pinned down by a Rollin' Crips firefight.
But Socrates survived, as heroes do.
He was a large exception, true,
but heroes generally are.
Forgive me, Gods, I have strayed too far.
From the man of our tale, Socrates Savage,
Whose exploits time will not ravage.
I will ensure that time will not forget his youth.
I can see the bully's blows, the flying tooth,
In my mind's eyes, I can see the trouble of Socrates.
Where most saw Compton's violent streets as Hades,
He saw a chance at building a Nubian Olympus.
Where young men did not shoot, steal, nor cuss.
He had the intelligence to build a better life,
Courage to weather this mission's strife,
And a curiosity, a drive to know the world,
To see its wonders and horrors unfurled.
That drove the man of our tale, Socrates Savage,
Whose exploits time will not ravage.
His foremost passion was the science of man,
Robotics, biochemistry, mechanics, everything in his span.
He was never formally taught
In direst poverty caught.
Luckily, scientific logic came preternaturally to him.
Unlike others, for whom nature did not sing so openly its hymn.
He had no need for textbooks, teaching, testing,
Going to school, then going home and resting.
The passions and strengths were equal in Socrates Savage,
Whose exploits time will not ravage.