[“Are they natural bodies promoted to the rank of statues after slight alterations or a ripening period?” – Michel Leiris] “In honor of your long service,” the Leader said, “we’re making a statue out of you. For the city square, you know, facing the Palace.” Quite an honor, I thought, after that troubling disagreement when... But then I saw in an aide’s hands a hammer, chisel, another behind him awkwardly pushing a wheelbarrow of freshly mixed concrete, another pulling a wooden form … [Read more...]
“A Challenge” / Memorable Fancies #680
28 August, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The temple image speaks: I am not a representation of the god, I am the god. If not me, then where is the god? Let it for once show itself! [Click ‘Random Post’ above – be astonished] … [Read more...]
“More Statues of Me” / Memorable Fancies #659
12 August, 2016 by Leave a Comment
More statues of me appear every day. One would be an honor, perhaps two or three would show even more honor. But now there are dozens, with a deteriorating level of craftsmanship as each new one appears. I suspect a joke, a silent protest. [Click ‘Random Post’ above – be astonished] … [Read more...]
“My Statue” / Memorable Fancies #657
10 August, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The rulers decapitated some other hero’s statue and put my stone head on it instead. “Economy, you know,” they said, “and besides, whoever remembers that old man whose head is now in some museum basement, probably tipped over on its ear?” But my new body did not like me. At night it shook, just a little because it was only stone, to see if it could dislodge me. I tried to reason with it, but I knew that heads were expendable whenever new, more favored ones came along, while the stone bodies … [Read more...]
“The First Statue” / Memorable Fancies #553
1 June, 2016 by Leave a Comment
“What is it? Did something bad happen to Boleslav the Bold that turned him to stone?” “No, Boleslav is still our king.” “But what is this – object?” “I call it a ‘statue,’" said the man with rock-dust in his hair, “a thing like a man, that we at home may remember him as he swords his way through the provinces.” “And these banners, flags, …?” “For the ceremony,” said the sculptor, “for the dedication of our new ‘statue.’” “That will prove a great occasion, for sure!” “Yes, … [Read more...]
“A Gesture” / Memorable Fancies #1124
25 February, 2015 by Leave a Comment
[“The disconcerted gestures of statues ...” – John Ashbery] The statue’s arms, in that gesture. What ... ? Was there another statue there before, facing it, sledgehammer raised? A statue of a friend? A lover? <END> Buy it on Amazon: See/Saw. In this novel you can sell your memories for cash. And regret it. … [Read more...]
“The First Statue” / Memorable Fancies #553
19 December, 2013 by Leave a Comment
“What is it? Did something bad happen to Boleslav the Bold that turned him to stone?” “No, Boleslav is still our king.” “But what is this – object?” “I call it a ‘statue,’ said the man with rock-dust in his hair, “a thing like a man, that we at home may remember him as he swords his way through the provinces.” “And these banners, flags, …?” “For the ceremony,” said the sculptor, “for the dedication of this ‘statue.’” “That will prove a great occasion, for sure!” “Yes, … [Read more...]
Memorable Fancies 