In This Corner

'In this corner; showing extreme arrogance is Mr. Progress!'
Already a Heavyweight- repeated K.O.'s in water, sewage, land, air and weather.  Written on his left glove is Greed and equally powerful on his right glove is Apathy.  He is wearing dingy gray trunks!'

He stepped, strutted to the center of the ring, tauntingly he said, 'Oh, I'm frightened, Mary Poppins is going to knock me out; Boohoo, I am crying acid tears!'

Officiating, was a nondescript young man, who turned and said,' And in this corner; shouldering a world's balance is Mother Nature!'  Also a Heavyweight- she has unleashed her wrath, sending Tsunami, Earthquake, Flood, Volcanic eruptions, Forest Fires, Pestilence, Plague, Hurricanes and Tornadoes.  She is wearing trunks of sunshine and light and there is a wreath of golden velvet flowers in her hair."

'Now I want a fair fight!'  'Lets get ready to rumble!'

The bell sounded and Mr. P danced around M.N. feinting and jabbing, she ducked and weaved and as she danced a small field of sweet smelling grass, appeared on the ring's floor.

Progress changed the grass into a muddy, slick film of water, as he punched Mother Nature in the stomach with an leaking oil tanker.  The hit pushed her against the ropes and from her belly flowed, sticky dying birds and fish.

Round 1 went to Mr. Progress as the bell sounded.

The combatants sat and waited for the bell, M.N. drank a clear, cool fresh glass of water and Mr. P, puffed on a smoke stack, his inky, greasy hair, wreathed with thick black soot and ash.

The Bell sounds: Round 2

Mr. Progress pounded his gloves together and somewhere a forest was clear
cut.  M.N., did a rapid jab to his solar plexus and Mr. Progress grunts momentarily winded.  Small trees are planted around the lumberjack's cuttings and a new forest begins to grow.

Mr. Progress growls and feints to the left before raising his right glove and punching Mother Nature viciously under the chin.

Down she dropped and a rain-forest fell and butterflies dropped dead, cocooning her.  Mr. P. laughs and says,' I win!' 'How could I not have, Mankind in its greed has made me strong, but it is Apathy that has made me great!' 'People turn a blind-eye towards me, safe in their own lives, with belly's full, content in their self-delusion!;  'Your precious Children are your downfall Mother Nature; I am only their Servant!'

'STOP!', a voice shouts, ringing like a thousand church bells.
Mr. P. wheeled around, gaping at the young man in the referee's outfit.  ' I call this a draw!, he said.

'What she is down, I have clearly won!', snarls Mr. P.  'Who are you, to dictate to Me?, he snaps.

Mother Nature slowly rose to her feet, smiling she said,' Surely Mr. Progress you recognize GOD?'

GOD, smiled gently at M.N., then rounded on Progress and said, 'I have allowed you on my world, because without you Mankind would have stagnated! 'Now you have over-stepped your boundaries; you were to co-exist with M.N., not conspire against her, if you clear-cut; then you replanted new trees as well; if you strip-mined for materials and minerals; then you saved land for fish and wildlife, sparing rivers for new co-habitation!'  ' You have been lax in all your promises to nature and my children!'

'If you continue to bring my world into unbalance and chaos, then Mr. P.; when you next step into this ring it will be ME that you will face- IN THIS CORNER!'

Jane Richer
© Feb. 12 2005