Prehistory

Could have been 250,000 years ago. Perhaps

it was a Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon man,

may have been a woman too, who can say?

Most assuredly, a bipedal of the mankind

species who awoke one day and strolled out

of his cave to speak in a tongue with which his

mates found very curious indeed. Granted the

language of communication was of basic rele-

vance to them way back then, basic guttural

grunts and groans which everyone in the clan

could easily understand—Ogg is a grumpy, hun-

gry man today, some would say. We need to

grab our spears and axes and go locate some

meaty prey to eat, but succulent roots or leafy

vegetation would more than likely do. Ogg does

not normally describe the sky as a fluid ocean of

majestic blue, has never before referred to sun-

beams as melting golden butter on the crispy

crust of toasted bun. Weird, the clan discussed

quietly among themselves. Ogg most assuredly

has gone nuts, has plumb lost his mind. Now it is

that this story was never recorded for posterity

as the primitives who lived it contemporaneously

had no access to writing materials, the internet or

cellular recording devices of any kind. This was 

an epoch in history way before Facebook, Office

Max or Staples would eventually spring up all over

the land. And much later when anthropologists

appeared onto the scene, their excavations never

disclosed any indication of the happenings that

day. Only bones and shards of scorched earthen-

ware were to be found. And Ogg, poor Ogg, he

will never receive the homage or credit he so well

deserved as the first poet laureate in history to roam

the face of Earth. Way back then, folks just thought

he was a crazy Cro-Magnon, man. Could have been

a Neanderthal or woman too, you know, who in their

right mind can say?

Chris Hanch 1-7-19