Michael Godey

Future of Animals Michael Godey

Synopsis The Imaginary Lost World of AnimalsThese are stories which range from the perceptions of a child about animals, "Butterflies" and "Memory Bird", "The Future of Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico" to regional humor, "New Mexico Hippo Ranch" to a Ghost Story "A Child's Game of Possibilities" and to dreams and shape shifting in "Lost World of Animals" and "Future of Animals" They are all loosely connected to Central New Mexico and each other. They progress from present into the future with reference to the lost conscious connection between humans and other animals (and living things). For example, the first story "A Child's Game of Possibilities" deals with Rose and Villard, representing the past and the other characters representing the present. Rose's connection to birds and particularly trees represents the past connection to other living things. Varda, the main character, by the end of the story feels connection and (the reader might assume) understands Rose is a ghost. The last story, "The Imaginary Lost world of Animals" addresses transformation in to the future. The story refers to the past to help establish the sensitivity necessary increase the reconnection of the main (at least one) character to a more animal-like persona in order to evolve into the future. In "Future of Animals", this is necessary so humans can survive not as a species, but as a new species as all creation changes into the future. Simply put, the collection of stories as a whole addresses the necessity of the reconnection of humans to the other animals. The title of the group of stories not only refers to the last story but "the lost world" which is less a world connected to the past than a world that humans often refuse to listen to, the world of the other animals. If we are to evolve, we evolve together both humans and other animals. We have no a choice. With in these stories are sometimes found possible (or impossible) imaginary transformations.