The Big Bang

The big bang Albert Einstein, in a dreamy mood, said the Big Bang was when the future, the now and the past happened all at once It was seventy-two years ago I was sent to a farm for unruly children Where I was accepted by the animals that thought of me as another beast working for the man Except for the chickens, they hated me with a passion they would, had they been giants, have eaten me as a worm I was the one who had to go into the hen house and steal the warm eggs the hens were clucking about. On the attic of the farm, I found a pair of ancient skates where the land was low laying, a lake had formed spent hours skating in rings until I got dizzy and fell like a drunk in the winter park of despair. The cows were indoors when it was cold time hung slow and heavy must, have been like a relief when I came with a shiny metal bucket and a tiny milk stool. Five cows leave a lot of crap and piss. It was my job, after milking, to muck out their stall and make the scene of boredom looks romantic. Seventy-two years ago, you say, it feels like yesterday.