Saturday, October 26, 2013

Old Words, New Words


Old words, new words, like black birds and white birds whirling in the gray of a cloudy muted sky.
Black birds, assaulted by rain, tremble and struggle while the white birds whirl, unperturbed by wind and water.
They are from the sea and are turbulent in their own nature, these elements cannot surprise them. They are beyond surprise and awe, twirling in a wind swept horde above the glistening dripping world, elegant white birds, storm frenzied white birds, sky slicing white birds.
The black bird has found sanctuary somewhere in the eves of a house. Usually such a big strong bird, it has frightened me to see him wobble across the sky. Even knowing that he is now safe, I feel pained imagining the moment when the storm first caught him.
What was he doing when wind and water decided to throw birds across clouds? I feel frightened, even though he is now safe, even though I was today safe.
I feel fear knowing that chance will leave me to a storm one day, that everyday that I breath cannot be a safe day. And what will I be doing when forces greater than my self grab me up?
Surely no one is immune. No beast that walks, flies, swims, wriggles, or crawls can count itself safe forever.
Old words, new words, neither come quickly enough.

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Saturday, October 19, 2013

Swine


I feel fed on by ravenous crows, a murder of them tearing at my spirit with hungry maws.
At home I make an appetizer plate of it and offer it to my children. Them I wish to feed, but they won't eat.
I return to the town square and they take and trample my gifts under a pretext of civility and general goodness. They tell me what a wonderful job I am doing and ask me for more and more. Then they take it and chew it and spit it out. 
I feel weakened to the marrow afterwards. I keep returning to the village for the benefit of my children, but who benefits from the con of life?
My children like to play with the other children but they don't do the work the townspeople give them. And I spill all of my life blood and effort on the cobblestones in the square, for the benefit of the community, but who is watching for the best interest of my own brood?
What sustenance will they gain if I waste all the nourishment I have to offer on swine and let my offspring be indoctrinated by swine?

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