Tales from the rain

eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
edited October 2008 in Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
There were four of us left. I,the young son of the king, had been allowed to take place in the competition, and the merciless crowds truly liked my tales enough to let me go that far in the competition. Our tales had to comply with one condition only: they had to be incredible. I had a good tale that i had kept for the end. But first let me report what the other storytellers related.

The first story:
I have been to the desert and I have seen the sand woman. The sand woman has been there for a thousand years; she is alone and wants a companion. When the caravans pass, she raises from the dunes and whirls and shrills around them, calling for the men until one of them looks at her, hoping he will fall in love. But the men hide and close their eyes trying to survive the sand storm. Then she’d whip them and shout until they die, and melts back into the dunes until the next time, sad and still alone. None has ever survived the sand woman.

The second story:
Two men loved a woman. I got this story from one of them, Zaïd. The other one was Zanivul, a medicine man, expert in the darkest arts. Zanivul trapped his rival Zaïd in a mirage forever. From his mirage Zaïd can see every point of the earth, and ear every sound, every word, including his beloved woman talking to his rival. But none can ever see or hear him. He stays there, shouts and cries for her. That place is called the trapdoor in the sun. If you face the sunset you can, sometimes, notice a quick light green flash, the trap door.

And the third story teller came, and this was his story:
From all the places I have been, none is as strange as the unspeakable town. When Babel was destroyed, the survivors looked for the most remote and hidden place where they could live. They finally reached a point in the North Mountains called Alamout, and built a city where they could live and hide their shame in the shadow of rocks, so high the sun light hardly reaches the streets. In that town, each new born baby comes to the world speaking a new different language, and will speak only that language all his life.

I was charmed and moved by my competitor's tales. My own story failed to enchant ME as they did. I felt unhappy. I learned that before you create for others, you must be true to yourself, moved, loose grip, and let the tale come over you. I retired from competition and a winner was chosen. Next day I left the palace, my comfortable life, and choose the road instead. I learned from the best and the worst tale tellers the simple truth that moves the teller. It took me to distant lands, I learned foreign languages, rescued forgotten tales from oblivion, searched for the unknown, the remote, and the rare. Then one day, news came to my ears that my father had died, and the kingdom was I great turmoil. I believed I had to come back and take my place as the new king. I never did. When I reached our capital, nobody remembered me or the young prince that had left the palace and choose the road instead. But everybody had heard of the story teller I had become.

I said to myself “now I have my story”…

Eulusso
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  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    The old man came while I was putting on my wet suit. He came close, slow pace, his hands in his pockets, watching. Then he said briskly, “How do you surf guys stay in that cold water for hours? Don’t even get paid for that uh?” I smiled to the old man and his funny remark, and said “they make good wet suits, we’re not that tough!” He said nothing for a while, just blinked a couple of times like lost in his thoughts, then “Damn I used to be a sailor! I spent my life in a boat, fishing cod, Newfoundland you know. Now look at me, I’m cold all the time…See I have these gloves but, I’m cold all the time, specially the hands, my hands got so cold they never warmed up again. They used to send us two by two, in small boats, and by the end of the work day we got back to the main ship, to unload. But they would not let us in before our boat was full of fish, no sir! No question. One day me and my buddy were having a bad day, no catches, so we stayed until late, almost night it was. When we started pulling the net on board, it got stuck. We draw which one of us would dip his arms in the cold water to unjam it, and it was my friend. We laughed about it! He was trying to pull it up, hard as he could, and he slightly bent more and more until he fell down. I grabbed one foot and tried to pull him up, but the boat was loaded now and threatening to capsize…big man he was, and all his clothes full of water…he was caught in a snarl of the net. I hold him there as long as I could, pulling till I my hands got so cold I couldn’t feel anything. I let him go. And he disappeared. Then I saw a big shadow coming up, I thought it was him coming back…but it wasn’t, it was a big, big black fish, swimming around the boat, like this, he did it couple of times and went away.
    I came back alone and never fished again. My hands never got warm since that day, that’s how it happened. At nights I watch the bay, it’s like a shadow but, and I think I saw that fish. He comes around. I believe he followed me.
    “I’m pretty sure – I said – I see shadows myself, surfing the waves under the water. He is all right, believe me, he’s all right. The man smiled and I said good bye. As I walked down to the water. When I looked back, he was taking his hands out of his pockets, and with a daring gesture, he took of his gloves.

    Carcavelos bay - 2006
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    i posted these twice, sorry
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    Dancing with Rosie, cheap jazz for lovers under the indifferent moon, how easy it was, as our two souls agreed on the music, and on not being there. Forgetful of us in the arms of a dancer for money I thought of the words I might have had for her, while she felt my hands on her waist, and thought nothing of it.

    Rosie, if we had been friends long ago, and I had became so faint you couldn’t even tell me from a made up memory, would you still say my name right now? And if stay too long and drink too much, will you take me by the hand and say”come, you don’t belong here”

    And the indifferent moon still high looked down at us. Her rays across the branches did not move a leaf, nor raise the dust from the ground, as a light hot rain started to fall. Still dancing, Rosie moved a step aside, so the rain could fall on us, cool us, heal us, and we danced and did not talk.

    Eulusso
  • Bu2Bu2 Posts: 1,693
    Interesting work. I kinda like the biblical/Homeresque two first works....but it's the last one that made me really warm up to your poetry.

    Thanks for sharing. Please keep on doing so.
    Feels Good Inc.
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,410
    I enjoyed reading these. :)
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  • eulusso...

    the three incredible tales (in your first tale) have a common theme, it seems to me, of non-existence. The poor, wretched subjects are all mute in some way.

    But your three tales when read together tell of existence. learning how to live or re-live.

    The surfer is a good circle breaker. Dancing with Rosie has got really beautiful imagery. Great to read your words.
    Salut baloo
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    burtschips wrote:
    eulusso...
    the three incredible tales (in your first tale) have a common theme, it seems to me, of non-existence. The poor, wretched subjects are all mute in some way.
    But your three tales when read together tell of existence. learning how to live or re-live. The surfer is a good circle breaker. Dancing with Rosie has got really beautiful imagery. Great to read your words.

    Thank you Burts,
    hey i had not noticed the common theme, I do now. Most important i'm glad you liked it,
    Eulusso

    say hello to Jack Sparrow when you see him;
  • LOVE
    When I long to touch you, long to see you , long to dream of you, I let loose, close my eyes, you take me in your hands, throw me above the rolling waves, and I fly
    DEVOTION
    Since I can’t touch you no more, or look at you, I fear dreaming of you, I close my eyes, let go, slide into the belly of the rolling waves, and find my place.
    SURRENDER
    I won’t touch no more, see no more, dream no more, I lost grip, closed my eyes, take me in your hands, throw my ashes into the storm, where he belong.

    E.
  • deadnotedeadnote Posts: 1,678
    you ever read the song of songs
    set your laughter free

    dreamer in my dream

    we got the guns

    i love you,but im..............callin out.........callin out
  • eulusso wrote:
    LOVE
    When I long to touch you, long to see you , long to dream of you, I let loose, close my eyes, you take me in your hands, throw me above the rolling waves, and I fly
    DEVOTION
    Since I can’t touch you no more, or look at you, I fear dreaming of you, I close my eyes, let go, slide into the belly of the rolling waves, and find my place.
    SURRENDER
    I won’t touch no more, see no more, dream no more, I lost grip, closed my eyes, take me in your hands, throw my ashes into the storm, where he belong.

    E.

    That's a wonderful way of explaining the emotions we go through when we are in the process of Letting go. Beautiful.
    "Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored"-Nancye Sims
  • deadnote wrote:
    you ever read the song of songs

    perhaps not, what is it?
    I got this tittle from the Coltranes album "A love supreme"!
    E.
  • He had been a mummy a child mummy, but was no more. He was awake alive and well now, and a 3527 years old orphan. His new parents thought how wonderfull it would have been to see him grow up, but that wouldn't happen. Under his cotton bandages he would not grown anymore, and would hardly age. He went through all the dreadfull steps of the egyptian “book of deads” and of course should be quite over-prepared for the cosy life they were offering him now...Unlike other parents their child had seen far more than they did.
    They had a happy life until the day he, went to school. The other children wanted to know what was under the bandages. So they unwraped, unwraped, unwraped...And under the bandages they found, nothing at all. Absolutely nothing. They never could get them back in place, and this is how the mummy child finally lost eternity. If you ever meet a living mummy, don't ask what's under...it's meant to remain hidden from you. It's what you see, and won't show more. Some of us are mummy childs don't we?
    E.
  • ... it reminds me of the time i took my dad's prized radio and decided to investigate a bit. I was very young maybe 4. I got a screwdriver and opened it up and explored... could not put that back together again, never ever. It may not have been 3527 years old but it was around before me.

    I also used to take his pewter tankard and piss in it when I was about 3. He used to drink beer from it and I used to piss in it in the garden. poor Dad!
    Salut baloo
  • why do you think he kept drinking beer from it? Every recipe has it's secret, and every secret has it's recipe! Son and father share some of them, even untold ones.
    hi burts,
    E.
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    The FAQ sheet was inside the box. It said “I am not alive yet, it depends on you entirely”. It looked like...a robot of course. It was not supposed to look like a real child, antropomorphism was forbiden anyway, since long ago. On the chest there was a tiny wire, and beside it, an almost invisible hole like a channel going inside the body. “From the moment you plug this wire inside my body, my life will start. There will be no coming back from that moment on. Will you choose a name for me?” said the FAQ sheet. “ The Law does not allow human names for robots, but apart from that you are free to choose any name you wish”. That made the woman laugh...some people would to choose crazy names like - yellow sunshine - or - electric candy - that they would regret after...A robot's name could never be changed afterwards, for technical reasons. The name itself became part on the foundation for the whole life stucturing process that was to develop.

    It was not human, ok, but he would need her just like a baby does. He would grow, and develop, using processes similar to cristal growth, the basic growth process from wich life came up millions of years ago. He would learn too, in a cybernetic way but still, learn. And he would become... becoming, isn't that what life is all about? He would stumble and get up too...and also, he would never be as harsh to her as life and people had been. Robots are conceived for harmony. One thing they do not have is a big ego. Was she being a coward? Maybe, yes, so what? She had already been brave enough in the past, and what did she get?

    Slowly, tenderly, she took the tiny wire between her fingers, and pluged it into the body. Almost imediatly, his skin grew over the conection and covered it completely, leaving no trace. Then she felt a small vibration from inside, a gentle bzzzz...coming from very far. The cold skin surface became warm, and smooth. Her hand on his chest could feel it: now there was “something” in it, something had happened, something had just started.

    That night, in her bed, in the dark, she did not keep her eyes open as she used to do. Her mind was not rambling around from one thought to another like it used to. She lay silent, eyes closed, peacefull, and she listened. From the room next to hers, came that litlle bzzz...bzzz...bzzz...”No coming back she thought”, and she smiled.
    E.

    "with all the mistakes
    we must shurely be learning...
    whyle my guitar gently weeps"
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,410
    I liked this story. To give someone a heart is pretty wonderful! :)
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  • The name itself became part on the foundation for the whole life stucturing process that was to develop.

    something had happened, something had just started.

    ”No coming back she thought”, and she smiled.

    ---

    Very tasty! I should start drinking a large glass of symbolism
    every morning. Or maybe start making time for some ideas
    I've put off for far too long . . .
  • yeah I like this story too E. very human.

    have you seen what Honda have called theirs .... 'Asimo' I wonder what it means. By coincidence I saw a programme about Robots and artificial? intelligence.

    One thing that was very striking was a computer programme that could assimilate peoples experiences and thoughts via downloads and blogs etc... not one person but many and start to take on characteristics, combined characteristics - a child of many.

    here's Asimo in all his glory. Honda really are the parents in this case I guess.

    http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/
    Salut baloo
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    Very tasty! I should start drinking a large glass of symbolism
    every morning. Or maybe start making time for some ideas
    I've put off for far too long . . .[/quote]

    Yes, some idead jump like a fish and dive back into your mind so fast you hardly notice them, make time to be attentive and don't put them away,
    go!
    E
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    burtschips wrote:
    yeah I like this story too E. very human.
    have you seen what Honda have called theirs .... 'Asimo' I wonder what it means.

    Yes...somehow poetic, beautiful, and sad and scary too.
    Asimo is a tribute to Isaac Asimov! That reminds me I have not read a thing from him since i was a kid, bye, i'm going to the library,
    E.
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    sorry, actually Asimo means Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility ...but also "something that stands" or "something with legs". Anybody has a japanese friend?
    E
    (but he does read Isaac Asimov, for sure)
  • no, you're right.. Asimo is a tribute to Isaac Asimov... disguised behind a post-rationalized slogan. This makes sense.

    Asimo in japanese... ? babelfish japanese:

    日本語

    Asimo does sound like a Japanese name to my ears. So it is a well intended mistake if an abbreviated English slogan sounds like a Japanese name to this human's ears.
    Salut baloo
  • eulussoeulusso Posts: 50
    A BETTER WORLD
    In the end, rivalry corruption alliances and war always won. Tough Thomas Mann, Prudhom, Bakounine and Rousseau, they all came to help, they inspired him his ideal cities. But they would have ended hanged by their feet like Mussolini if he had let it happen.

    He did not, never. All he had to do is clic on “erase”, and a storm of free electrons would rain hard on the public gardens, the buildings, and all that lived, (including the vanilla ice cream vendor) washing them away, cleaning and purifying the world from it's ugliness.
    My son creates cities, he breeds worlds. I just inspire him with some old utopists. And he always ends up telling me “they are worth nothing, it never works...” Yeah I can see that.

    Then yesterday he came up saying “ Dad, I think I've got it. Look at my civilisation now, it spread all over the planet, this world is already 5647 years old, and nothing, no wars, no crisis, absolute cool, it works! I'll explain to you: the problem is too much organisation, you will see. People talk too much, they complicate things, look. This time I did not erase everything like in the deluge...instead I did it like Babel, only worst...There are no two people speaking the same language, classic, but I pushed it beyond that. Every newborn child speaks a diferent language and only one language forever! Surprised old hippie dad? Easy: no speeches, no writings, no philosophy, no religion, so no governement, no army, no chiefs. Instead, painting, sculpture, music, and people judged by their acts, not by their saying...look!!

    I took a fly over the cities, I landed here and there, and I saw towns, not so high tech but...without frontiers, without nations, just individuals, cooperating on basic needs, with nothing to live, die or kill for...and 5647 years of continual peace. You can't imagine what it does.

    Though they still talked, not much, sometimes, here and there. To me it sounded like birdsongs.
    E.

    inspired by “Imagine” and “The Division Bell”
  • so this is Alamout. I think I gave myself away when I posted before, but hmmm... a better world? Boy, there's lots to think about there. But it's created by the visionary son... and he is talking to his Dad and experimenting with his own philosophy. The filthy utopist!

    The vanilla ice cream vender can only be a good thing.

    Not Jack Sparrow, but BT would say: 'It's good to talk'
    Salut baloo
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