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...]
“Five Briefs – XXIV” / Memorable Fancies #586
21 January, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Statues creep into the council chamber on their stone feet, speak in the language of long ago, that remote past when some were still worthy of statues ... # Clothing in general is called “costume” because it hides and obscures who we are. We put it on and it puts us on. # Reality becomes corrupted by our dreams, just as our dreams have always been infected by our waking lives. # Citizens of our kingdom are told to dream of world conquest hoping this will have some effect, or at … [Read more...]
“The Language of Statues – I” / Memorable Fancies #046
21 January, 2013 by 2 Comments
There are many statues of me, a new one every few days. I don’t know how they came to be there, but suddenly – there they are, and I am once again delighted, and my courtiers are amused. Some of the statues are life-size, some smaller, some larger. I like the larger ones best. I see at least one statue of me whenever I’m being driven through the capital, or taken for a stroll in the presidential gardens, or visiting our far-flung troops to encourage their valiant fight. I am slowly … [Read more...]
“The Oath of Office” / A Memorable Fancy #178
2 December, 2012 by Leave a Comment
At night, statues of dead presidents creep through the streets of the capital, scraping along on their stone legs seeking a better park to adorn, a more noticeable corner, a place where wreaths are more apt to be placed. Sometimes the statues encounter each other, and fight. Citizens bet on which will topple into the street, head broken off, stone sword crushed. Statues who meet this fate are stricken from the official list of presidents, their adherents warned never to speak their names … [Read more...]
“The Language of Statues – III” / A Memorable Fancy #076
15 August, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Yesterday I saw a statue of me that I found deeply disturbing. It stood on a corner in the financial district, where my statues have always been erected. But this one – a rather typical statue I will admit: life-size, military attire, gazing heroically into the distance. But – from a certain angle when the light was just so, – its eyes followed me. My guards and I crossed the street. I looked again. The statue still stared at me. I left hurriedly. A few days later, I returned. There was the … [Read more...]
“The Language of Statues – II” / A Memorable Fancy #063
31 July, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Not all the statues of me have been maintained to my satisfaction. A few, especially in the workers’ quarters, are broken, headless, smeared with excrement, reviled by passing crowds who have found a convenient place to relieve themselves. Each affront results in my declaration of higher taxes, conscription of still-younger males, expansion of the torture camps. The people will soon understand how much I love them. Then they will give me all their own love. … [Read more...]
Memorable Fancies 