The map and the riddle of the poem

[elperro]

I think many would agree that there is more than one, and possibly several, interpretations of Forrest's poem. Each interpretation may serve a different purpose, and the combination of the interpretations helps achieve the overall solution to the poem - the 'where' and the 'why'. Said another way, one purpose of the poem is definitely to act as a map, a literal set of directions to lead a searcher to the treasure chest. The purpose is help a searcher to discover the 'where'. Another purpose may be to contain a riddle, which when solved, will confirm the deeper meaning. The riddle of the poem may offer the 'why' of the chase. The treasure itself may have been just a lure, to motivate people to slowly solve the 'where' and discover the 'why' of the chase, by combining both interpretations.

So what about the riddle? There may be a deeper puzzle to solve. Now, some have proposed that an underlying theme of the poem is the cycle of life. Forrest put one of his hairs in the chest. Why would he do that? The only reason is to provide a DNA sample. I'm not going to go into the nitty-gritty of what I think the cycle of life means, or it's relationship to the poem, but I can definitely see where it comes from. What's the end result? If you interpret the poem in this certain way, when Fenn says "so why is it that I must go and leave my TROVE for all to seek" it is entirely within the realm of possibilities that he is not referring to the treasure chest, as the trove, or what we are seeking. What if the trove he speaks of is actually his DNA. What, or to whom, his DNA matches to out there . . . may elucidate the 'why' of the whole she-bang. And this may be far more valuable than the lure of the gold.

[PrincePaco]

I really want to get to the Maury Povich segment of the Chase...

[Not4but242Walk]

This is a soldier thing, leaving a coin when you visit a gravesite (or a rude aluminum grave marker in this case). He hinted at this by wanting to leave a nickel under the pie lady's grave in TTotC.

"I've done it tired and now I'm weak". Flying blazes. So he left his trove in memory of the 1943 crash. His poem connects the State of Wyoming Veterens Memorial to those 'lost' in the Bighorns.

[Suzy]

Maybe the riddle is that Forrest wants to see if his DNA will match someone in the future?

[elperro]

Maybe the riddle is that Forrest wants to see if his DNA will match someone in the future?

Good idea, or maybe he wants to be cloned.

[Suzy]

Good idea, or maybe he wants to be cloned.

Cool. Maybe that's how Star Wars gets its start. His DNA is cloned into a "Stormtrooper" and they all have to wear masks (hiding their identity) due multiple outbreaks of infectious diseases. After all, Stormtroopers all look alike. They must have the same DNA.

[Star Shadow]

"The Intended Genius of Forrest Fenn..."

[Blazingwaddles]

The original version of "go and leave" probably meant that he would die at the hiding spot ("go" to the afterlife, and "leave" the trove in the physical realm for somebody to find) whereas the new version is him going to hide the trove and leaving it behind while still alive (and not going back to die there). Thus the answer to "why" could be the journey of enlightenment that Forrest took during and after his bout with cancer, causing him to progress and develop his feelings about how and where he would actually die and be interred (or have his ashes spread). Does anybody know that? If Jack does, he wouldn't answer. Perhaps that is the big final reveal.

[elperro]

Cool. Maybe that's how Star Wars gets its start. His DNA is cloned into a "Stormtrooper" and they all have to wear masks (hiding their identity) due multiple outbreaks of infectious diseases. After all, Stormtroopers all look alike. They must have the same DNA.

Good point. I'd hate for all those Stormtroopers to be clones of Forrest, that would be sad. They are lousy shots and just end up as cannon fodder.

[Suzy]

Good point. I'd hate for all those Stormtroopers to be clones of Forrest, that would be sad. They are lousy shots and just end up as cannon fodder.

True . . . But look how much money you could make off of the words, "LUKE, I AM YOUR FODDER".

[elperro]

True . . . But look how much money you could make off of the words, "LUKE, I AM YOUR FODDER".

Ha! You're a clever turtle. The force is strong with you.

[elperro]

How about the topic of being "umbilically connected." Besides being in utero, can you think of a time when Forrest was dependent on being attached by a life-saving, cord-like device? How about when he was being hoisted up to the Candy Ann from the jungle floor near the karst? (sidenote: there could be some symbolic meaning there with the hidey spot, i.e. Forrest's body near a cliff).

Or how about this one, what if Forrest took two trips from his sedan to the hiding place (who says that can't be describing where he 'hid' it in the chopper), and then lowered it with a rope or cord to it's final resting place in the Rocky Mountains in an . . . umbilically attached, sort of delivery. Sounds cray cray, I know. But, Forrest Fenn should not be underestimated, IMO.

[drewman]

'Where Warm Waters Halt' could be (FFs or someone's ) birth - a release from the warm amniotic fluid from the mother, that suddenly 'halts' upon birth. To go even further, 'canyon down' could be the birth canal.

[Knowledge]

'Where Warm Waters Halt' could be (FFs or someone's ) birth - a release from the warm amniotic fluid from the mother, that suddenly 'halts' upon birth. To go even further, 'canyon down' could be the birth canal.

Or it could be a blocked kidney and Forrest was trying to piss people off with that hard poem.

[Suzy]

I believe the thing with the helicopter would be a far stretch because that would turn things completely on it's head. I mean which way would be "up"? Then again, I guess it doesn't matter when you're in that deep.

But as far as Forrest's DNA is concerned, I think it would be cool if his DNA matched someone in the future. That might finally prove that reincarnation exists and the reason why, at death, many of us are covered in flowers . . as it rein(s)-carnations.