Agents of Decay

 

The conclusion is obvious and

unmistakable; she is not a meticulous

and overly conscientious housekeeper

of her voluminous holdings.  Whether

attributable to disinterested collapse

of purposeful design or the ennui that

sets in over prolonged periods of

studious stewardship, she has chosen

to excuse herself from direct action

and opted instead to job out her

tedious tidying up tasks by

assigning unpleasant, time-consuming

cleanup through contracting out to a

main contractor, Time, who in turn

enlists the services of many subcontractors:

moulds, fungi, bacteria, feathered and furred

omnivores; entropy, morbid agents all - of

decay.  An elementary audit is sufficient

to observe how her forests present

in a state of climax and disintegration;

observe the fallen giants nursing saplings

while the agents of decay perform their

mission.  But, then, of course, Nature

has invested greatly in the braintrust

of her more advanced and capable

organisms designed to enjoy her

gracious invitation to manipulate her

kingdom.  And, like the others who

set about exploiting her generosity,

we do our very unwholesome best.