The Harrowing of Howtown
Once upon a time, the people of pretty
Howtown witnessed War in Heaven. The sky blazed black with darkness visible, crimson
clouds rained magic fire, and Howtown turned into Inferno.
Howtown burned with eldritch flame, with
all the people chained to pain, all hope abandoned, all gains in vain. Yet
despite their fall, the women and men, both little and small, changed their
tiny ways not at all.
Like ever before, they sang their didn’t
and danced their did; they sowed their isn’t and reaped their same; they said
their nevers and slept their dream; they reaped their sowing and went their
came.
For they told each other, “Fear not,
though all is lost. Our tiny ways are chained to pain, but so is any way, here
in Hell. So keep calm and carry on. If we be damned, then let us be damned for
who we are.”
They
suffered forever, then again forever. Then all the gods and demons slew each
other, and the War in Heaven ended. Only Howtown survived. The fires expired;
the sky blazed blue; and the people of pretty Howtown felt only the normal turmoil
of Earthly existence.
Compared to the War that they suffered
before, this was Heavenly bliss; yet despite their delight, the women and men,
both little and small, changed their tiny ways not at all.
Life
went on, as if nothing had happened.
Moral: Freedom’s just
another word for nothing left to lose.
Comment: I quote Milton, Dante and others; mostly “anyone
lived in a pretty how town” by e.e. cummings.
To pragmatic Howtown, Armageddon is just
bad weather. “As if nothing had happened” is more than survival; it’s a diss.
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