in a Lenten city

[gurdonark]

The trees drip cheap plastic colored bead necklaces, like so much Spanish moss dipped in plastic. Workmen assiduously take down seating stands. Some are merely metal girded structures, but some stands have wooden walls painted with wild, celebratory figures. The fancy-stand seats have names on them like Councilwoman Jane Doe. A bit of trash strays here and there, although it's entirely uncertain if it's festive trash or trash in permanent residence. The little garden park bears that "they trampled me last Tuesday" look, in which even the flowers look as though Spring has its dangers as well as its blessings. The weather is temperate, the wind is mild, and yet lawyers bear a mildly breeze-assaulted, perspiring perplexion as they muddle on to court. A boarded up set of windows across the street suggests that somebody has given up something, but nobody is quite sure what is left to give. The fat is gone. Renewal is yet to come.

Comments

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

oh! the fat is gone. (b.b. king should sing a song about that. it would be appropriately heart-broken.) i like the beads dripping from the trees; that's a wonderful image.

i noticed just now that you have charles williams on your interest list. me, i've read *Descent into Hell* and *All Hallows' Eve* too many times each. he did something to my brain, i think.

(i'm in a peculiar mood today. i hope this comment isn't offensive somehow. if it is, just hit delete, and please excuse me.)

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

That last passage of "Descent into Hell" moves me every time. It just has something, whatever that something is.

I couldn't believe the beads from the trees. They were great!

[reneesarah.livejournal.com]

Short, and very sweet. I wanted to send you something back in the mail- having kindly received your delightful chess poems. However, the address you wrote on the envelope is not something I can read. Would you be willing to send me your street address so I can send a small something in return? (renee28@hotmail.com)

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

How nice of you. Don't feel obligated ,but I did send you my addy by e mail.

More subtly seasonal

[kelquestor.livejournal.com]

I don't know what a Lenten city is, but I know that this is good writing,and as much for what it doesn't state as for what it does. I wonder, will there be more, but then I realise: this is Gurdonark the prolific! Of course there will be more. And I am glad.

Re: More subtly seasonal

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

This post stems from a very quick business trip to New Orleans, Louisiana, which has one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations, which just ended last Tuesday. The city has a kind of Lenten, post-party faded austerity that appealed to me.

Prolific? Darn. I keep aiming for prophetic :).