Your answer or mine? (6/15/76)

                                 Your answer or mine? 

                                 Why are we doomed to death?

                                                I ask this is earnest, waiting impatiently

                                            for an answer I know of which is not                                   

           mine to receive.

                                                 The world is beautiful, made beautiful for

                                               us, yet each and every human, bird,

                                          animal, and flower sees it's time.

                                               I've saw the little birds as eggs, as babies

                                                   learning to fly, as grown birds and yet

                                                 at seeing all this I hold a knowledge

                                   that they too end somehow.

                                                    I've saw the flowers as seeds, as seedlings,

                                                    and as beautiful flowers, flourishing in

                                                  beauty as they reach for the life God

                                                gave them out of the Sun, rain, and

                                                 air. And yet I know that they too will

die.

                                                  I've saw all the little animals as new borns, 

                                                     watched them grow to be obedient to 

                                                    their masters in order to please them,

                                                and yet I know they to cease to be.

                                               I've saw infants and watched them grow

                                                 to be adults as I did, held each and

                                                 every one close at heart and loved

                                          them. As you would a brother.

                                                 Yet after seeing all these things God gave

                                                              me to love, hold, and charish as my own,

                                              I still ask, "Why do I have to die."

                                                          Though now I don't wait for an answer:

                                       I held the answer all along. 

                                              I have to die because of all the beautiful 

                                                             things God created - he created me as  

                                                    his own. It was meant to be. I was

                                                             given all these things to see and com-

                                                       fort me through him. I've saw them

                                                                  and charish them as mine, as he did me.

                                            What more could I have been offered?

                                                                                                                                James Duncan

                                                  To my mother and father of whom           

                                                     I love so much. May happiness

                                    be with them always.                            

                                                                                                                      6/15/76