THE SONG OF THE SWAMP
This story has a very different origin. One night when I was on high security (007) at Saint Lawrence State the man in the cell next to mine was asleep. Other inmates were sleeping as well. As these men slept they snored. In the snoring of these men words were formed. These words formed complete sentences. And in these sentences the following story was told. The next day I was given the privilege of a pen and a few sheets of paper. The story named itself “The Song of the Swamp”. The date of the mystical origin of this story was in January, 1987.
Part One
There was a wooden cabin a stone’s throw from where the cat-tails and reeds were growing. It was a small cabin, on eight stilts, ten feet off the ground. Inside the cabin four men sat around a square table. They were playing poker by gas light, downing whiskey, and laying their money down.
It hadn’t rained for nine weeks, and the cabin that was usually over water was over dry ground. The swamp had retreated much more than usual this dry season. The springs and pools were very low. And the thirsty animals could not help but cross one another’s paths.
It was evening, the orange sun was setting upon the warm earth.
The blue heron, who had been sitting upon her eggs all day, stood and stretched. She then looked around, and as darkness fell, took flight in search of food. The full moon was rising as the lonely blue heron landed in what remained of the watery glade. She plodded through the watery, grassy swamp looking for small fish and crayfish to feed herself. She saw the silvery flash of a fish in the water. Her beak shot forth like an arrow. She speared and swallowed her quarry with the deft of an archer.
Nearby, under the Spanish moss, where the watery estuary met the forest glade, the white crane stood. He stood on one leg, his eyes and ears always open, watching over all. He knew the comings and goings of all animals, and the kings as well. The animals called the men kings. The kings had names for all the animals, but called the white crane the “Lord of the Swamp”, for the noble bird stood balanced on one leg, one eye open, listening, guarding the swamp in perpetual vigilance.
The rattlesnake lay coiled, tasting the air wither tongue. She rattled her tail, and listened, hoping to find either a friend or a hapless victim.
Old Mrs. Raccoon lay curled in her den. Her belly was huge, for she was full of babies soon to be born.
The bobcat sat astride a branch high in a tree. He was preening himself. Licking his flanks and smoothing out his whiskers with his paws. He thought “am I not the most handsome of all?”
The white crane stood, watching, listening, still balanced on one leg. All the animals, as well, called the white crane the “Lord of the Swamp”. For she stood one eye open, listening, in unending vigilance.
The beavers came out an hour before dark. Cutting trees and building pools and homes was the beavers business, and this they did well and enjoyed.
The bear too gamboled through the dark swamp, also in search of food.
Lastly the sly fox searched for moles and mice, or perhaps a rabbit or a fledgling bird. Hunter and hunted, victim and predator, this is the life of the swamp.
The water was sliced by the back of the denizen alligator, waves spread in ever widening V”s. Now it was fully dusk, the moon and stars shedding a soft and feminine light. Prey and predator, hunter and hunted, killer and killed, this is the life of the swamp, and all nature.
………And the Kings shuffled and dealt their cards, pushing piles of money across the table, and swallowing down the burning alcohol.
Part Two
Mama raccoon was now birthing her babies. Four squirming little bundles. Mama licked them clean, one by one, and each found a nipple and began to suck.
The blue heron’s babies were now hatching out as well. Featherless, ugly, and dependant on Mama for everything, they emerged from their shells.
And the kings continued to gamble and drink, late into the night, while the white crane saw, and knew all.
Mama raccoon now needed some dinner. Leaving her babies in their den, she went in search of food. Sniffing, scratching and listening, she discovered the fledgling heron chicks. One at a time she dragged the little chicks down to the edge of the pool. One at a time she washed them. One at a time she ate them, head first. One at a time she left only the scaly little claws.
The beaver had dammed the flow of a little fresh water spring. The dammed spring created a cool and deep watering hole. The animals all came to this pool to drink.
The raccoon, the heron, the bobcat, the snake, the bear, and the fox all came to the spring to drink. But under the water lay the alligator, as the Prince of Darkness’s predators. To the watering hole the animals of the swamp came to drink. They looked over to the vigilant white crane at the forests edge as if to ask, “is all safe”. The noble white bird let out a soft “cree, as if to say, “be careful, alligators must have their supper”.
The alligator licked his chops as he spied the swimming beaver. The water hole the beaver had made with his dam had saved the lives of many animals. Including the alligator. Would it not be a kingly thing for the alligator to do, to make supper of him who saved his life? Nevertheless, in only two gulps the beaver was in the alligator’s tummy. The alligator had made supper of the one who had saved his life. Wasn’t that a kingly thing to do? And the four kings laid out their cards, drinking and smoking, and gambling into the night.
Meanwhile, the rattlesnake had gotten to thinking how strong and wise he was, greatly feared by almost all. And the bobcat, after several hours of preening high in the tree was quite sure of his handsome whiskers and shiny fur.
Well, it happened that, on their way to the watering hole, the bobcat and the rattle snake crossed paths. The snake expected the bobcat to move aside. The bobcat expected the snake to yield. An awful tussle followed, and both got torn up before the fight was over. Is this not the behavior of kings?
The swamp comes alive at night, the frogs, crickets, and night birds singing until dawn. The fox too came out that night. And what did the fox find for supper that night? Oh yes, the tasty fresh eggs of the alligator. They were buried and protected in a mound of moss and earth. But Old Mister Fox had no trouble smelling them, digging them up, and gobbling them down.
The fox was still hungry however, and went looking for more food. He found the rabbit’s hole, and crawled down into it. Waiting for the rabbit to return. But in the rabbit’s tunnel was a tight turn, and the sly fox got stuck tight. Defeated by his own cunning, the poor fox! What a kingly thing to have had happen!
The bear as well was looking for his supper. A honey tree, nuts, berries, or perhaps a fish or a bird. Finally the bear found a tree full of honey, more honey than one could easily imagine. The bear dug deeply into the tree and began to gulp down honey by the gallon. The bear ate so much honey that he got awfully sick with a terrible tummy ache. He ate so much honey that he was sick for days. Wasn’t that a kingly thing to do?
Long into the night the kings shuffled and dealt their cards. Early in the morning the kings were still pushing their money piles of money, and sucking fire water and smokes.
Now the white crane was still standing by the edge of the forest, in the watery glade. The birds of the morning began to sing as dawn broke. The brilliant morning sun rose high over the swamp and the forest glade.
And still the white crane stood, observing, vigilant. As the noble bird looked at the rising morning sun, a butterfly appeared. As quick as a flash, the white crane snapped up and swallowed down the butterfly. For his breakfast and dinner the white crane devoured a butterfly that had come down from the sun. With a loud screeching call the white crane flew high into the branches of a tree.
Now the blue heron had returned to her nest to find her offspring had been devoured. The mama heron was sick in mourning and rage as she discovered the remains of her chicks by the water’s edge. The poor bereft blue heron began to wade through the swamp and search the forest glade. Her heart was broken, she walked in mourning. “Why oh why, is life this way?”
And then, as day was breaking, she stumbled upon the den where the baby raccoons were hidden. She looked upon the kits, and the kits looked at here. She saw into their innocent eyes. The lonely blue heron asked herself, “should I spear and kill with my arrow like beak these offspring of she who devoured my chicks?”
The lonely blue heron thought of the noble Lord of the Swamp. She thought of the wooden cabin where the kings dealt cards, pushed money around and poisoned themselves with whiskey.
“No”, she answered herself, “I shall not kill these innocent kits. I shall not avenge myself. I shall not walk in the way of kings, but shall let them live”.
Meanwhile, high in a tree, in the forest, by a watery glade, perched the white crane. Balanced on one leg, one eye open, listening. The noble Lord of the Swamp watched gray storm clouds gather. Very soon it would rain.
SMART AND SMARTER
This next piece was written as a venture into children’s literature. Definitely not from an altered state of consciousness. A celebration of simplicity. Here is an example of pedantic writing. I submit this as an example. Perhaps it has its place.
Bob and Mary lived in a little village. The little village was named Goodville. Because Goodville was a good little town. Bob and Mary had two sons. Michael was eleven, and Mark was nine. Both Michael and Mark went to the Goodville elementary school. Both boys had many friends at school. Both boys were good boys. They helped their Mom and Dad at home, and studied their school lessons every day.
A half a block away from where Bob and Mary, Michael and Mark lived, was the home of Grandma and Grandpa. Grandma and Grandpa had twinkling eyes because they were so wise, and so full of love. And Grandma baked the most delicious molasses cookies in the whole world.
Michael and Mark were busy young men. They kept their room clean, and they always did all their homework. They took piano lessons, and practiced every day. Michael and Mark always helped with chores, and they almost never complained. They tried not to fight with each other. They did exercises with their father at night. They were very polite and well mannered. They remembered their prayers, and always ate their vegetables.
Michael and Mark had a neighbor named Tony. Tony was ten years old. Every morning they saw Tony at the bus stop. While Michael and Mark always carried book bags full of books and homework, Tony almost never brought home a book.
Every fall, after the school year began, all the students had to take a test to see how smart they were. A teacher named Mrs. Jones gave the test. These tests made most of the students a little nervous. However Mrs. Jones was a kind person, and told the students not to be afraid.
On the morning of the test, all of the students were seated at desks in a great big room. Mrs. Jones passed out the tests. A different one was given for each grade. Then she said, “Shhhhhh, may I have your attention please?” The students all put their names on the top of the answer sheets with a pencil. Then Mrs. Jones read the instructions and said, “ready, begin now”.
It was a very difficult test for everyone, with many different and challenging questions. After what seemed like an eternity, Mrs. Jones said “stop work”. The students were all allowed to stand up and stretch, but no one was allowed to talk.
Then Michael, Mark, Tony, and all the students were told to sit down again. They now had to finish the test. After a while, Mrs. Jones said “stop work again”. The tests were collected, and everyone was glad to go home.
On the bus ride home, everyone was wondering how well they had done. But within a few days, Michael and Mark had forgotten all about the test, for they were busy young men. They always had so many things to do.
One Friday, on the bus ride home, Tony asked Michael and Mark if they wanted to come over and play the next morning. Michael and Mark asked their parents. Bob and Mary said “yes, you may go to play at Tony’s house as soon chores are done”. So the two boys cleaned their rooms, vacuumed the rugs, scoured the bathroom, and swept the garage as fast as they could. Then they crossed the street, walked up the walk, and knocked on Tony’s door.
Tony’s mother answered the door. “Good day, young men”, she said. “You’re just in time for lunch”.
“Tony!” called his mother, “your friends are here!” “Yea Ma”, said Tony. He was in the den watching TV.
Meanwhile, Tony’s mother asked the boys what they would like for lunch. “How about a sandwich, some soup, a glass of milk, an apple, and a cookie for dessert”, she suggested? “Yes please maam”, said both boys at the same time.
Again Tony’s Mom called, “turn off the TV., and get in here Tony, your friends are here and it’s time for lunch !” “Yea, okay” said Tony, answering but not really responding. “Tony get in here now”, scolded his mother. “Get in here now!” Reluctantly he turned off the TV, and walked into the kitchen.
Michael and Mark bowed their heads and said grace. Tony reached for the cookies, and went to the refrigerator to pour himself a glass of pop. After lunch Michael and Mark cleared their places while Tony went back into the den and turned on the TV again. Soon the brothers too went into Tony’s den, and sat in front of the TV. But they grew restless for they were not accustomed to watching so much television.
Michael asked Tony, “do you want to do something, and do you have any games or anything?” Tony gestured to the shelves on the wall. There were all types of games. “Yea”, said Tony, “I have games but I like to watch TV a lot. Mark took down a checkers game. Michael and mark played checkers while Tony watched TV.
After a while, Michael asked Tony, “do you have to do chores like we do?” “Chores”, said Tony, “what for?”
Well, a couple of months passed, and the test scores were returned. Mark had done well. Michael had done very well. But who got the highest mark in the whole Goodville Elementary School? Surprise! It was Tony!
After school that day the brothers got home. They did their homework and practiced their piano lessons. Then they decided that it would be nice to go and visit Grandma and Grandpa. A molasses cookie and a glass of milk was just what they had in mind. “Grandma”, said Michael, with Mark seated by his side, “I don’t understand. I study hard and do all my homework every day. I do my chores and say my prayers, and I always eat all of my vegetables”, he continued. “And all Tony ever does is watch TV. He never even does homework. He doesn’t even eat real food. And he got the highest mark in the whole school”.
With a twinkling eye, the boys Grandma set two glasses of milk and a plate of cookies before the two brothers. Then Grandpa, who just walked in from the living room said with reassurance, “boys, you’re a couple of honest, hard working kids. And sometimes that counts for more than just being smart”.
Well, another two weeks passed, and report card time came. It was again on a Friday. All the pupils were given their report cards just before going home. Michael and Mark compared grades on the bus. They had A’s and B’s, and Mark even had a C in arithmetic. Then Tony got on the bus with a troubled expression on his face. “I didn’t do very well”, he said. “I got three D’s. Then mark exclaimed ,”but you’re the smartest kid in the whole school!”
When the brothers got home from school, their Mom was waiting for them. “Here’s our report cards”, they said. Their Mom knew they worked hard, and therefore was pleased with what they’d accomplished. “Can we go down to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s and show them our grades”, the boys asked? Mary said “yes”, and the boys grabbed their coats and hats. They headed down the street, carrying their report cards, thinking of Grandma and Grandpa’s pleasant home, and a plate of warm molasses cookies.
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