An Excerpt

1:5 The Butterflies of Life
The terrain was of lush grass and rich hills. To the left a small creek did wander aimlessly among the ponderosa and blue spruce. Orbiting my head was a white and blue butterfly frolicking with a smaller yellow one. Encompassed in these two small creatures seemed to be the essence of nature. With palm up I tenderly outstretched my trembling hand. Land on my palm did the small yellow butterfly and flap its fragile wings. Its counterpart did land to join him and the two did stand still. For an eternity did this moment seem to last, then in an instant it was over, for a small sparrow did snatch these spectacles of nature from my palm.

On an old, rotting, fallen tree did the sparrow land. Tilt his head and look at me he did, his sharp pointy beak flashing in the bright sun. Two hops to the left, then one back to the right did the sparrow take and commenced singing a beautiful song that did raise my heart and did make a tear fall softly from my eye. Kill the sparrow in a blaze of furry fury did a wily weasel. When the fierce massacre was over, stay did the weasel to indulge itself in the fruits of its labor. When the weasel was all but done, a stealthy snake did slither up behind the unsuspecting weasel. In one quick motion the serpent did pierce the skin of the weasel and sink his venomous fangs into the fresh meat. As the snake began to swallow the so recently deceased weasel, an eagle did swoop down upon the scaly creature and did grasp it firmly in his majestic talons. The great bird, while pulling out of his dive, was attacked by a bobcat, which did leap from a nearby tree. Efficiently wrestled to the ground and quickly killed was the eagle. While the bobcat dragged his meal to his den, ambushed was he by a wolf that did pounce upon his prey.

By the juggler vein the mighty wolf did have the bobcat. Slowly the life fled from the limp body of the bobcat and the canine tore savagely into the dead cat to satisfy his hunger. After the fulfilling meal, the wolf did commence in licking its pee-pee. While indulging himself in this splendid task, a great grizzly bear did smash the wolf's pointed head, thus killing it instantly. Feast upon the carnage did the oversized bear.

It was at this point that a carnivorous giraffe did happen to come upon the bear. Every bone in the bear's body did the giraffe crush with its five mighty, thundering hooves. Once the last trace of life was gone, the five-legged beast did begin consuming the mutilated, bloody pulp of grizzly. Tear into the thick hide of the bear he did with his gnashing teeth and three powerful front legs. The tall animal then licked his lips with his seventeen-inch-long tongue and a great roar of triumph was let forth by the giraffe, but was cut short by the crack of a shotgun. A hunter hath slayed the carnivorous giraffe, lining its intestines with buckshot.

The amazing Ginsu Knife the hunter did unsheathe to cut and gut his newfound source of nourishment. Proceeded he to skewer the fresh meat and roast it over a red-hot flame. Then, and only then, did he partake of the rare meat. Yet, as I watched the hunter bite into the tasty steak, choke on a piece of buckshot did he and gasp for air. Transfixed was I, for the hunter comically made exaggerated motions in the air, grasping at his throat. His face did turn purple, and I did laugh for highly amusing was it. Then in one last wild motion he fell face first to the ground, twitched, and then died.

Taking into account all of which hath transpired, I searched for a hidden meaning, a deceptive message. It eluded me for many a moment. Then I got tired of it and spoke, "Alright, I give up, Shenry. What the Hell does it all mean?"

In response the world did tremble and a voice did speak, "Paht, what kinda' prophet are you. You can't even figure out a simple lesson to be learned. Alright, this comes straight from the big ‘S’ Himself: Thou shalt not consume of bovine creatures of hooves exceeding four. They are rare indeed."

In this moment of revelation, I fell to my knees and wept. I wept not for the butterflies, not for the sparrow, not for the weasel, not for the snake, not for the eagle, not for the bobcat, not for the wolf, not for the bear, not for the giraffe, and not for the hunter, but because when I fell to the ground my left knee did strike a rock.

Many a tear did fall on that day.

(c: 1993)
...and so it was written, shenry at 9/04/2003 10:56:00 AM.
...and so it was appended with .