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Work
Presented by
bend of bay press 
http://www.bendofbay.org  
work first appeared in Caliban #12Copyright 1993
 
 2
Work
A pestilence fell upon the earth and he was removed from his place and taken tothe place where the work was done.The work began slowly, but then proceeded apace gaining in both efficiency andspeed as the urgency of the work became apparent to many and many cooperated, placingthemselves and their resources at the disposal of those who directed the work and someoffered themselves body and soul to the completion of the task.He was a carpenter and carpenters were required for work but not for theimportant work.He did not participate in the important work which was better for him for by notparticipating he could observe the work and learn from the work.The work, however, was never completed. Others intervened to stop the work. Hewas glad and rejoiced for though he was a carpenter he did not like the work at all.And though he was glad and though he rejoiced he did not rejoice in the manner of rejoicing and could not return to the place from which he had come for it could not befound nor could those with whom he had come be found.He did not rejoice in the manner of rejoicing for he could not find those of theplace from which he had come. He felt a profound sorrow for the suffering of those of theplace from which he had come.The place of work was removed and what was left of the work commingled withthe earth.He crossed an ocean.
 
 3Walking along the beach he paused to bend over and retrieve a shell whichsmiling he placed in the hand of a girl who stood staring at the number on his arm.This action distracted her.She studied the shell.Thank you, sir.And in this new place this place by the ocean he saw there was much work to bedone and since he had learned much about work and since he was a carpenter heembarked on this new work with all his heart and became greatly loved by all who livedin this place by the ocean.And in time he met others from that other place of work, the place that no longerexisted, the place commingled with the earth and he met one from the place from whichhe had come and rejoiced.And those whom he met rejoiced and each day they rejoiced together for theyremembered the work and they were together.And he rejoiced in his work in this place by the ocean and he was filled with loveand they were filled with love and together full of love they rejoiced.The seed of a new pestilence fell upon the land.And he came upon this pestilence and saw a man of pestilence carve the symbolof those who were of the work that began slowly, but then proceeded apace gaining inboth efficiency and speed as the urgency of the work became apparent to many and manycooperated, placing themselves and their resources at the disposal of those who directedthe work and some offered themselves body and soul to the completion of the task thathad been stopped and commingled with the earth.
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