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Whys and Hows
                by Odin Roark

Through the window of rain spattered glass,
The old vet watched the large ant cling to the precipitous bombardment,
It’s tenacity of will overwhelming to the man’s eyes.

Why fight so diligently?
Why not let go?
You know how to land,
Endure your journey,
Continue the unceasing perpetuation of your species.

Obviously, the little creature understood something
Beyond the scope of the aging man’s comprehension,
Or perhaps the small creature just instinctively trusted mortality,
Had a clear and uncomplicated ‘why’ of life
Allowing any ‘how’ to just…be.

Slowly nurturing his espresso,
The elderly Marine continued staring,
Determined to arrive at an answer.

His mind wandered back to his youth
Where the meaning of life was taken for granted,
Where the indomitable mindset
Was the norm for any red-blooded young adult,
Especially one about to join in a war.

He asked himself if he had ever challenged a force that might destroy him?
Had he even once just allowed the many ‘why go on’ experiences of his life
To give him pause, like the loss of a limb…or two,
Or if the toll of war broke up his marriage-in-waiting relationship,
And especially the loss of a buddy to death?
Had he allowed any one of the life-threatening  events to reveal itself
As a ‘how’ answer to ‘why’?

He sipped the last of his coffee,
Smiled at the ant,
Tapped the window
And saluted the small epiphany,
Who now seemed to weigh its options,
Then calmly walk through the rolling boulders of rain…
Maybe to find another ‘how?' the once fearless warrior questioned.

He held his gaze and tried to figure out
How the ant seemed so comfortable
Climbing up the pane of cascading rain,
Rather than just riding out the downward flow.

Hmm.

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