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.