Broadcast live from earth, ionic slivers inside skulls—
visions wired to words, stuttering, sparking, and Sereia.
She’s painted the refrigerator red, the television too,
but at least it’s just the screen.
click
The sound’s a little damp, a little scarlet.
She must have done the audio as well.
A paint smeared note reads Gone to buy more paint,
dinner’s on the stove.
It looks like ravioli take-out with a little lipstick,
Bahia Sunset maybe.
You must decide, Sereia told me,
to face the lighthouse or the sea.
A car pulls up outside,
a crustacean scuttles underneath
the sofa.
I’ve walked botanical avenues,
breathed the solar ether
and touched the quiet centerline of nothing.
Yet there were always spectral shadows,
undiscovered secrets,
unknown choices missed and gone,
other shades I never saw beyond each inflorescence.
Sereia has two shopping bags of cans and brushes.
What do you think so far? she asks.
Fish are darting round the coral walls,
the intermittent weather blushes tropical red.
I love what you’ve done with the place.
background
The song ‘Lenda das Sereias’ (Legend of the Mermaids) performed by Marisa Monte as well as others, in which Brazilian mermaids sing like this: lalaó, oquê, ialoá. Apparently there’s not much risk of unsuspecting listeners being lured to their death by shipwreck, drowning etc, although admittedly I’ve never heard them singing on a cruise.
artwork
Four vaguely related pieces—
Lovely work Steve.
You must decide, …, to face the lighthouse or the sea.
So true, and don’t we all.
Fine stuff.
Cheers,
Frank
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Thanks Frank. I rely on GPS quite a bit these days ;), although it doesn’t help when you’ve lost your car in multistorey parking.
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I’m laughing over here Steve. That sounds deliciously disconcerting, to me.
Cheers,
Frank
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I may be having a slight problem with literal versus figurative. I’ll have to consult the wood ducks :).
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Frank is right on, “to face the lighthouse or the sea” is a wonderful image.
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Thanks for the feedback Joe. Thinks *must write more like that.* (Unfortunately I can’t, it’s just whatever pops into my head.)
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Fun poem to get lost in…..love the artwork
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All good as long as you find your way out again :), thanks.
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Reading with awe (and also a rosy glow). I love the artwork too Steve.
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Awesome. I might be a bit embarrassed. And I think I’m glowing too. Wait on, it’s probably just the plutonium. Thanks Leanne.
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I love that crustacean scuttling underneath the sofa.
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Mermaids, what can you do? 🙂
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