He had two cats, two dogs, two mice. He saw this as a start
and bought some planks to build his boat. Few saw his move as smart.
His neighbors laughed at his conceit; his wife tried to ignore
the constant sound of hammering, the sawdust on the floor.
And then one day the job was done. He was now old and grey;
his hands were full of calluses; his wife had passed away;
his mind was scattered and confused; his memory was rotten;
he wasn't sure what he had built. He simply had forgotten.
His love for animals remained. He'd feed his cats and dogs;
he'd pet his mice and clean their cage; he'd rescue drowning frogs;
he'd wander in the streets at night in search of long-lost pets;
he'd stroke the horses at the track instead of laying bets.
And then the rain began to fall. It poured throughout the night,
and by this time Ben was so old he'd also lost his sight.
So when some asked where his ark was, he could not see nor think
and that is why the people had to either swim or sink.