Torsade Literary Space Knew (poem)
Knew Evils come again, his complaint, their demands Once unsullied things, images risen to a tar pool’s cunning gloss, waiting family faces, images of that, strangers as remembered, kitchen flooring, lino laying a sheet unattached, anxious about that a great-nephew ferried across cornfields feet smudging patterns packed with hours chewing buttons, […]
The Resident (part nine)
Chapter Two An Anniversary Party “I think I…what do they say? Being given a stick somehow. Why?” Desander sighed, and drove on. He had been trying to ignore this story. “But Aura’s wonderful friend… She came right up and pinched my silk between her fingers…” He flapped his puffed shirt […]
Catastrophe Extra
From the Sheffield [England] Weekly Telegraph of May 4, 1918, is a curiosity worth preserving—a fictionalized and romanticized version of the “miraculous prisoner”, with a love interest added, and the race of the participants obscured. It’s interesting to imagine the closing months of WWI, an editor thinking about what will entertain his readers, possibly […]
The Mirrors (part twelve)
The Mirrors (part twelve) vi. These were bungalows…nice, of a middle-class type, a block of them. Brick, front parlors shortening the porch, a slope of banked front lawn—a flood measure telling the tract had been built on this century. It was the fashion in […]
My Blog Week: July 31 to August 6
All the Latest from Torsade! On Monday, “Poppets”, a reissue from Rattus. Wednesday, The Mirrors, with a visit from Dumain, and Carmine’s story. Thursday, Catastrophe, and Hess’s summary of the volcano’s fabricators. Saturday, a reissue from The Poor Belabored […]
Music to the Silent Spirit (poem)
Music to the Silent Spirit Each time a scale was shed The poor belabored beast reshod And every time the winch was turned A sleeve-end drawn and bunched The chain’s links locked A shocking tragedy Unwanted weight dislodged with a careless tread Slumps from the precipice and polishes the surface […]
Catastrophe (part twenty-nine)
Jean Hess La Catastrophe de la Martinique (part twenty-nine) It is important to say, because it would be odious to allow propagation of this absurd legend, of survivors imploring for help, and receiving none. Dedicated people—doctors, soldiers, police, the simple citizens—climbed through the ruins […]
The Mirrors (part eleven)
The Mirrors (part eleven) v. “I haven’t thanked you for yesterday’s lunch.” “Well, that’s fine. You never ought to.” The remonstrance felt abrupt…she hoped not out of place. But Charmante was sure Carmine’s had been an ordinary upbringing. “I understand, yes, you were hired […]
My Blog Week: July 24 to July 30
All the Latest from Torsade! A Word on the Week Agitprop (part one) Western culture, from the end of WWII, and prolifically in the 1960s and 70s, embraced pop psychology. Ideas […]
Poppets (poem)
Poppets This beanbag poppet with a muslin skin Made to dance on its stubs Given vocals pitched high Pinched out of a pocket to tell of How it lounges most hours in a hammock Wasting time There’s a second poppet Made of calico and yellow floss Jesus did not teach with […]