The Hen That Laid The Golden Eggs

Now once there was this free-range hen,
Laid eggs of gold outside a pen,
Upon the mountaintop ('twas home),
Till ground was strewn where e'er it roamed.

One day a farmer came that way,
Picked up an egg – "Oh my! I say!”
Took egg back home and hatched it out;
It multiplied – he gave a shout!

But other farmers said, "No way:
Do life ‘tradition-like’ we say;
For free-range hens can hit the road –
They need to tarry, bear their load.

One time another tried it out –
Went up the mountain, looked about;
The morning sun arose, and shone
On all the eggs he looked upon.

"I want you, chicken", said the man;
"Lay eggs for me, I know you can."
The chicken said, "Not from this hen
Will come forth eggs when in a pen."

"That's nonsense," said the farmer bright,
Who drooled at eggs within his sight,
And thought how he could corner eggs,
If he could hobble chicken's legs.

"Hey look," said hen the man scooped up,
"There's lots of us – don't be so rough;
An artist I – so treat with care,
I lay my eggs up here – not there."

For many months no eggs came forth;
The neighbour-farmers mocked of course,
"We told you so; our ways right;
No hen lays eggs of gold so bright.

He climbed the mountain, set it free;
"I'll come for eggs you leave for me;
It makes me nervous if I build
My life on this – if flee you will".

The chicken said, "No way, José
Such eggs you'll have, if others pay –
It's grid-lock – if I starve, I die,
And in a pen no eggs will lie."

"Must everyone ascend this hill
To get their eggs? – I know some will."
"Oh no! said hen, with panicked eyes,
"Keep them away, crowds I despise."

And then he saw it – ‘agency’ –
That's how it works – the link is me;
"You lay the eggs; I cash them in
And take percent – how both will win."

"Sounds good", said chicken as it laid
This insight like a golden egg;
But frankly, twixt the two of us,
I fail to see what's all the fuss."

"Don't sweat it, pal, we'll work it out",
Descending mountain with a shout;
“Take all the ‘duh-time’ that you need;
These eggs will buy great chicken feed."

The other farmers could not see,
Beyond desired ‘stability’
Of rich supply, (they'd changed their way,
For loyalty no more they paid).

Back to the hen the farmer went;
"To me, my friend, you're heaven sent,
For broke I am"; (said hen, "Me too");
"So let's team up – just me and you".

"Okay, so long as there's no pen,
So I can free-range be again;
Keep all those troublemakers out,
For they don't care what I'm about."

"Okay, a deal – we'll tweak this way
To sell the eggs, collect our pay;
Not advertise the path up here,
Thus keep the mountain free and clear.

"Let's start with picture of our lives,
Perhaps have chat with families, wives,
So we don't use up all our time
Producing eggs – that's just a grind.

So chicken said, "For me it's thus
And such; and thank you very much –
I cannot see your processed ways,
But they could ease my harried days."

"Let's meet again, tease out all this
Into a ‘way’ – not be remiss –
For I won't live here in this land
For aye an aye, you understand –

"Some day I'll pass to great beyond;
Trade in guitar where harps abound;
You'll need a pattern, process, ways
To guide new agents in those days."

“Let's prototype this paradigm:
Keep notes; jot down the things we find;
Stroke out mistakes; and boil it down;
Improve again each time around."

"That's just like Gerber", said the hen,
" ‘Make work a game’; play ‘let's pretend’;
‘Work on the process’; ‘make the best’;
‘This is a turn-key, then attest’.

"Then, phoenix-like, will rise that day
A cheaper cheeper coppied way
That free-range hens on mountaintops
Exchange their eggs, as free they walk.

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