Month: March 2004

writing

Circling Hunger

Posted on by littleREDelf

Hawks are circling in Springtime skies
looking below, angling prey.
the boy in the magenta t-shirt passes by
it reads “Real Men Wear Pink.”
Gentle hunter for a modern age.

Something golden, small, successful
clutches the side of tall, bare tree
from its talons hangs a whip-thin rope
snake and hawk, one for the other
one sounds as it moves
one sounds as it calls.

The boy smiles at me.
i nod appreciatively.
i move.
he calls.

Turkey Vultures greedily amble
a black parade at the side of the road
wings spread like dark-toothed combs
the torn edges of overlapping parachutes
crowding in, crowding out the landing space
near their carrion comfort.

The screech owl wakes me,
it’s time to hunt, pretty, open your eyes . . .
we used to keep those same hours he and i
and just now, i am an indigo mouse
small, blue, running in moonlit fields
squealing with fright, but quick, clever.

He clutches my hand, i slither
but allow myself to be carried.
He tugs at my velvet ear, i twitch
but allow myself only to listen.

The hunt grows tiring, a body grows slack
wings fold in to rest awhile, and a jaundiced eye
watches the world grow old around it
but cannot bear to turn the eye inside.

Not yet.
Not now.

The shadow of wings play against the wall
a cloudless nite so opportune,
gathering strength, garnering sleep
he calls, I move.

~ Andrea E. Janda

language, myth

Blarney

Posted on by littleREDelf

the following is from my Dictionary.com WOTD – Word Of The Day message and appropriate for St. Patrick’s Day

BLARNEY (Noun)

Pronunciation: [‘blahr-nee]

Definition 1: (1) The gift of eloquent speech; (2) empty words, double-talk, fabrication, nonsense.

Usage 1: The first meaning of today’s word has all but faded. To express this sentiment it is better to say that someone is ‘blessed with the gift of the Blarney Stone.’ “Blarney” is used today most often to refer to deceptive flattery or exaggerated fabrication.

Suggested usage: The migration of the meaning of today’s word illustrates our skepticism of eloquent language; however, if you make it clear you are referring to articulate speech, the original meaning emerges: “Fiona got her gift of blarney from her subscription to yourDictionary’s word of the day and not from kissing a rock.” However, if you omit that qualifier ‘gift,’ the word takes on a radically different meaning, “That story of how he completed his PhD at Harvard in 2 years is pure blarney.”

Etymology: Today’s word is an eponym from Blarney Village just outside the city of Cork, Ireland. The world famous Blarney Stone is perched high up in the battlements of Blarney Castle there. The stone was given to Cormac McCarthy by Robert the Bruce in 1314 in recognition of his support in the Battle of Bannockburn, depicted at the very end of Mel Gibson’s ‘Braveheart.’ Legend would have it be half the Stone of Scone over which Scottish Kings were crowned.

writing

rutting in the Spring

Posted on by littleREDelf

rut 1
n.

1. A sunken track or groove made by the passage of vehicles.

2. A fixed, usually boring routine.

tr.v. rut·ted, rut·ting, ruts
To furrow.

rut 2
n.

1. An annually recurring condition or period of sexual excitement and reproductive activity in male deer.

2. A condition or period of mammalian sexual activity, such as estrus.

intr.v. rut·ted, rut·ting, ruts
To be in rut.

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don’t you find it interesting
how a cold winter
where escape tracks
are left in the snow
and the boring routine
of being trapped inside

can lead to the fervent Spring
where animals crave
to be tangled together,
mating in new
and interesting
shapes.

here is the same word
with an entirely
opposite meaning

and indeed . . .
the exhaustion
and death of one

does always lead
to the blossoming
of another.

books, nature, psychology, relationships

DIVERSIFICATION

Posted on by littleREDelf

Reading: The Roaches Have No King – Daniel Evan Weiss

I’m re-reading this again. it has much to say about love and survival of the human species, and is told through the eyes of a colony of cockroaches, if you can go with that Kafka-esque sentiment. it touches on literature, history, psychology, sexuality, biology. a dark erotic tale of the urban condition . . .

An excerpt from Numbers, the cockroach who grew up feeding on book paste between the pages of the bible:

“When I was released into the intimidating world of Homo Sapiens, it was their reactions to separation from their lovers that offered me first comfort. I would soon realize that man is only an eerie visitor to our ecosphere, like a jack-o-lantern on a windy night, frightening, but already flickering and certain to go out. The reason is simple: humans cannot adapt because they are not rewarded for diversifying their gene pool. Separation engenders not a sense of satisfaction at a job well done nor a heart-pounding anticipation of the next opportunity, but instead a black, debilitating insecurity. In fact, separation ignites human passions unmatched by those occasioned by consummation.”

And this excerpt talking about the concept of Thanatos, the death wish in humans:

“I’ve always thought so. Psychiatrists, neonatologists, transplant surgeons, social workers, Democrats – these humans are esteemed for maximizing the reproductive success of those who minimize the chance of survival of the species.”

Ao there is my recommendation for the day my dears:
DIVERSIFY—specialization is for insects . . .