Eyeless in Gaza at the Mill with slaves'
Milton
_________________
I had to return The Tourist to the library today or else incur more overdue fines.
I take my library reputation very seriously. Every time you check something out, they announce your fines, and say, “you don’t have to pay today.” I try to make a joke out of my degeneracy, but often it doesn’t fly.
I took a circuitous route, so as to get a good 20 minute walk, which I hear is good for your heart. I was thinking more about my damn love handles, which I don’t have any use for, alas. I want to regain my full scrawny glory: I was built to have the physique of a 14 yr old , and I don’t want to f. with Mother Nature.
Approaching the library, I heard the St. James Church bell peal High Noon. I checked my watch: yep, 12 p.m. God’s and my watch were synchronized. I winked at Mother Mary, marooned in a sea of beautiful green grass.
I am obviously not a catholic, but my sister is. She converted for her husband. So that their marriage would be real. Both of them had been married twice before, and the Pope doesn’t like divorce unless the discarded marriage was a phony one to begin with. She goes to church a lot now. Gets huge comfort from it. I’m always up for comfort, no matter its source, so I hatched a plan: to walk straight across that grass and go look St. James in the eye. He was standing there by the entrance.
His statue, I mean, of course. He was gray. Mother Mary was very pale.
Bringing to mind that Dylan line:
“the first daughter on the twelfth night/told the first father that things weren’t right/my complexion she said /is much too white.” I had no guilt about thinking that, since everyone knows Dylan is a religious fellow. That whole Christian conversion. “Slow Train”, etc.
……………………
Anyway, I looked up at St. James.
He wa
He once was jesus’s brother, if my bible doesn’t fail me. Older or younger? It is very important. He created that Jerusalem church. Fought with st paul. Over insignificant trifles, no doubt, seen today.s on a stone pedestal. In a hoody, or something. A robe. Had a book in his hand! My kinda guy. But he was so high up…and…my god, the guy had no eyes!
Well, he had the outline of eyes, but no pupils, or eyelashes, or nothing! Like he was blind. Or had serious cataracts. Well, now!...
He was also barefoot.
I flashed back to being a kid and walking barefoot through lush middle class grass.
I almost did it, but feared the cops.
………………………
Mother mary had no damn eyes either.
However: someone left a pouch or something by her feet. I couldn’t tell if she was barefoot. Her robe covered her piggies.
………………………
I received zero comfort.
Then: walking through the park to get to the library , I saw a sight I could barely believe.
A bronze gal in tank top, beads, cutoffs & bare feet, with a dog on a leash, doing the hula hoop! From a distance I could not ascertain whether or not it was cool to look at her or not. Age wise. But I was transfixed by the rhythmic movements of her and that hoop. Her dark hair flowed in the wind in time to her hips.
She smiled.
I walked on, sneaking glances.
Comforted.
…………………………
In the library I got Black Swan.
Seems Natalie Portman is gonna try to be White and Black Swan.
I shall see how it goes.
Hope she can pull it off!
TIP:
Enter the amount, and click "Tip" to submit!
Natalie K. Munden
Brianne Calypso
Boomer Bob
Lucinda Bliss
KC Redding-Gonzalez
Missilynn
Salon.com
Comments
but I got very little comfort
from her transformation
If you find some, please let me know
How it came to be so
Eyeless Saints
seem sad to me
no comfort there
that I can see
I see an almost haiku there
"She smiled, I walked on
sneaking glances, comforted"
love her hula hoop
rated with love of hearing about your search for comfort
wish i could magic marker in some eyes.
wish mama or virgin wd tell me
about her son.
do the hula, mary! get outta that hoody!
i know u do a mean hula hoop with yr words.
they comfort me.
My marriage to Sarah has never been sanctified by the Church due to my previous teenage marriage which was. An outcast in my own faith.
Rated.
I think you can tell how seriously I take the catholic faith. Or any faith. Except my own. Which is oddly enough very very strong indeed.
Teenage marriage, hm?
Do tell, sir!
Jim
her dog eyed me a bit,
but that is to be expected
in this age when all the gals
got dogs to protect em.
hula hooping! who does that anymore?
hawaii! i remember
hula hoops!
when they were new!
gals gotta swerve and vibrate & gyrate & dance.
thank god for hoops.
guys? they need muscle relaxants, ha!
they need to learn to sway and be strong as oaks
yet move their hips a bit.
The girl is a hottie and you would have been excuse for staring.
See the religious symbolism?
Margaret: I did. I was infused by holiness. Then I found out mz Bachmann won the straw poll. I think it is not at all indicative of mother mary’s plans for us. She and jesus want, um….well, st james? I dunno. They are out of the loop. I am gonna get their damn opinions, tho! More later..
See the religious symbolism?
Margaret: I did. I was infused by holiness. Then I found out mz Bachmann won the straw poll. I think it is not at all indicative of mother mary’s plans for us. She and jesus want, um….well, st james? I dunno. They are out of the loop. I am gonna get their damn opinions, tho! More later..
See the religious symbolism?
Margaret: I did. I was infused by holiness. Then I found out mz Bachmann won the straw poll. I think it is not at all indicative of mother mary’s plans for us. She and jesus want, um….well, st james? I dunno. They are out of the loop. I am gonna get their damn opinions, tho! More later..
See the religious symbolism?
Margaret: I did. I was infused by holiness. Then I found out mz Bachmann won the straw poll. I think it is not at all indicative of mother mary’s plans for us. She and jesus want, um….well, st james? I dunno. They are out of the loop. I am gonna get their damn opinions, tho! More later..
she was
stareworthy. she did smile.
so i am no bad guy.
Lezlie
Neither did blind stares from statues,ha.
Tease. `
Have you ever read Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd. If she blogged @ Open Salon maybe Kerry would delete her? I just had to Re-Sign in.
I forget my password.
James m.e.? Ask Kerry?
Mr. Lauerman's shrink?
`
Read the book 'Woman Who Run With Wolves - Myths Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
`
The Washington Post writes its "A deeply spiritual book ... She honors what is tough, smart and untamed in women. She [the author] venerates the female soul."
`
Alice Walker writes: "It's a profound book with insight, wisdom, and love. An oracle from who knows?"
`
Thomas Moor wrote 'Care of the Soul' and writes: " She is rooted in family rites and archetypal psychology, recognizes that the soul is not lost, bit has been asleep .... The author gets into Nature for all our sophistication, that we are still wild, and recovery of that vitality will itself set itself set us right in the world."
`
on and on ...
I came home to see
my daughter is reading.
I read that book and laughed.
Males are allowed to read her.
`
P.S.
Sorry about your Friend.
He may be with a wild dame.
Nature's Dame will reclaims.
She carry a potent pitchfork.
Dr, Estes may read Kerry L..
We call him monsignor dog.
Kerry drool with a pacifier.
Why do he act very nasty?
Read @ Huffington Post?
I was asked to read a blog.
Kerry make sucking noise.
He may be too demented.
off-topic?
great read.
It do rained.
I be in DC.
I see DC.
O Holy.
Moses.
`
Tease. `
Have you ever read Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd. If she blogged @ Open Salon maybe Kerry would delete her? I just had to Re-Sign in.
I forget my password.
James m.e.? Ask Kerry?
Mr. Lauerman's shrink?
`
Read the book 'Woman Who Run With Wolves - Myths Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
`
The Washington Post writes its "A deeply spiritual book ... She honors what is tough, smart and untamed in women. She [the author] venerates the female soul."
`
Alice Walker writes: "It's a profound book with insight, wisdom, and love. An oracle from who knows?"
`
Thomas Moor wrote 'Care of the Soul' and writes: " She is rooted in family rites and archetypal psychology, recognizes that the soul is not lost, bit has been asleep .... The author gets into Nature for all our sophistication, that we are still wild, and recovery of that vitality will itself set itself set us right in the world."
`
on and on ...
I came home to see
my daughter is reading.
I read that book and laughed.
Males are allowed to read her.
`
P.S.
Sorry about your Friend.
He may be with a wild dame.
Nature's Dame will reclaims.
She carry a potent pitchfork.
Dr, Estes may read Kerry L..
We call him monsignor dog.
Kerry drool with a pacifier.
Why do he act very nasty?
Read @ Huffington Post?
I was asked to read a blog.
Kerry make sucking noise.
He may be too demented.
off-topic?
great read.
It do rained.
I be in DC.
I see DC.
O Holy.
Moses.
&
&-+= means what?
Kerry no tell us.
`
Tease. `
Have you ever read Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd. If she blogged @ Open Salon maybe Kerry would delete her? I just had to Re-Sign in.
I forget my password.
James m.e.? Ask Kerry?
Mr. Lauerman's shrink?
`
Read the book 'Woman Who Run With Wolves - Myths Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
`
The Washington Post writes its "A deeply spiritual book ... She honors what is tough, smart and untamed in women. She [the author] venerates the female soul."
`
Alice Walker writes: "It's a profound book with insight, wisdom, and love. An oracle from who knows?"
`
Thomas Moor wrote 'Care of the Soul' and writes: " She is rooted in family rites and archetypal psychology, recognizes that the soul is not lost, bit has been asleep .... The author gets into Nature for all our sophistication, that we are still wild, and recovery of that vitality will itself set itself set us right in the world."
`
on and on ...
I came home to see
my daughter is reading.
I read that book and laughed.
Males are allowed to read her.
`
P.S.
Sorry about your Friend.
He may be with a wild dame.
Nature's Dame will reclaims.
She carry a potent pitchfork.
Dr, Estes may read Kerry L..
We call him monsignor dog.
Kerry drool with a pacifier.
Why do he act very nasty?
Read @ Huffington Post?
I was asked to read a blog.
Kerry make sucking noise.
He may be too demented.
off-topic?
great read.
It do rained.
I be in DC.
I see DC.
O Holy.
Moses.
&
&-+= means what?
Kerry no tell us.
&= 3- X's no go.
Kerry eat worm.
He so nasty too.
`
Tease. `
Have you ever read Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Phd. If she blogged @ Open Salon maybe Kerry would delete her? I just had to Re-Sign in.
I forget my password.
James m.e.? Ask Kerry?
Mr. Lauerman's shrink?
`
Read the book 'Woman Who Run With Wolves - Myths Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype.
`
The Washington Post writes its "A deeply spiritual book ... She honors what is tough, smart and untamed in women. She [the author] venerates the female soul."
`
Alice Walker writes: "It's a profound book with insight, wisdom, and love. An oracle from who knows?"
`
Thomas Moor wrote 'Care of the Soul' and writes: " She is rooted in family rites and archetypal psychology, recognizes that the soul is not lost, bit has been asleep .... The author gets into Nature for all our sophistication, that we are still wild, and recovery of that vitality will itself set itself set us right in the world."
`
on and on ...
I came home to see
my daughter is reading.
I read that book and laughed.
Males are allowed to read her.
`
P.S.
Sorry about your Friend.
He may be with a wild dame.
Nature's Dame will reclaims.
She carry a potent pitchfork.
Dr, Estes may read Kerry L..
We call him monsignor dog.
Kerry drool with a pacifier.
Why do he act very nasty?
Read @ Huffington Post?
I was asked to read a blog.
Kerry make sucking noise.
He may be too demented.
off-topic?
great read.
It do rained.
I be in DC.
I see DC.
O Holy.
Moses.
&
&-+= means what?
Kerry no tell us.
&= 3- X's no go.
Kerry eat worm.
He so nasty too.
&=+= do prays
Give Kerry CPR.
Try four times.
`
God Damn.
The more things change. &c.
_____________________
As far as the staring thing, I think you got it right. It IS in public. And staring is rude. But a casual glance or two or three is cool.
I am sadly lacking the connection to Milton's quote to your post. Ok now I must tell you, I get moody when I cannot get these things figured out because I always figure out your post.
I am most amiable and await your relieving me of this curiosity of mine.
scylla and james, scootch over . we will watch the world go by.
I'm glad you're out and about and seeing things...even if it means eyeless saints. Do you know St. Lucy? She was martyred by having her eyes put out, and representations of her have her holding a dish with her eyeballs in it. My grandmother had a small statue like this on her dresser, and I inherited it...but the boyfriend, Protestant, doesn't want me putting my saints up all over the apartment. I will probably pick them up from my mom's house the next time I go, since we'll soon be doing shelving units in our bedroom that will be covered with curtains. I'll try to give those saints a home. But I never thought about the statues outdoors, whose eyes may have been worn away by the weather, or whose sculptors didn't think it was necessary to go into so much detail...thank you for making me think about something I've never really given much thought to before.
As for the library, you need to come to France - unless your books/DVD's are crazy late, they don't even make you pay the fine!
Enjoy the movie and I was glad to read this.
A thoughtful post, James, quiet and measured, but nonetheless stimulating and artfully written and structured.
punned?
punned?
joking. I do know what you say -
From our depths comes our best writing. So sorry for that James. Sending up an outstretched hand.
In lieu of that, I shall try something different, in which anyone not mentioned is in my heart forever. For helping me through this wacky time. When a statue of a man, C., decided to get down to flesh and blood. And the results were…misguided….
Art: women who run with wolves we find here on our os.
Such as rita, who would make a fine guest at your end of the world party, and heart, and mhold,
And miguela, rolling & alysa.
These are the women to have around as the world goes up in flames & we sit content and smart and expecting it all, but unconcerned, for the boys are with us: you, Scylla, me, nick, mical, and jerry.
What a time we would have repopulating this globe. After the stock market crashes on Gaia’s head, and she sends a fine (un poe like) merciful red death to the rest
In lieu of that, I shall try something different, in which anyone not mentioned is in my heart forever. For helping me through this wacky time. When a statue of a man, C., decided to get down to flesh and blood. And the results were…misguided….
Art: women who run with wolves we find here on our os.
Such as rita, who would make a fine guest at your end of the world party, and heart, and mhold,
And miguela, rolling & alysa.
These are the women to have around as the world goes up in flames & we sit content and smart and expecting it all, but unconcerned, for the boys are with us: you, Scylla, me, nick, mical, and jerry.
What a time we would have repopulating this globe. After the stock market crashes on Gaia’s head, and she sends a fine (un poe like) merciful red death to the rest
In lieu of that, I shall try something different, in which anyone not mentioned is in my heart forever. For helping me through this wacky time. When a statue of a man, C., decided to get down to flesh and blood. And the results were…misguided….
Art: women who run with wolves we find here on our os.
Such as rita, who would make a fine guest at your end of the world party, and heart, and mhold,
And miguela, rolling & alysa.
These are the women to have around as the world goes up in flames & we sit content and smart and expecting it all, but unconcerned, for the boys are with us: you, Scylla, me, nick, mical, and jerry.
What a time we would have repopulating this globe. After the stock market crashes on Gaia’s head, and she sends a fine (un poe like) merciful red death to the rest
Hope you are doing well. TY for your in-depth comment tonite, btw.
The quote is from John Milton’s 1671 verse tragedy Samson Agonistes, which recounts the end of Samson's life, when he is a blind captive of the Philistines, described as being “Eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves”. The struggle that Samson Agonistes centres upon is
the effort of Samson to renew his faith in God’s support….
“A little onward lend thy guiding hand
To these dark steps, a little further on;
For yonder bank hath choice of sun or shade.
There I am wont to sit, when any chance Relieves me from my task of servile toil,….
Retiring from the popular noise,
I seek This unfrequented place to find some ease—
Ease to the body some, none to the mind From restless thoughts,
Ask for this great Deliverer now, and find him
40 Eyeless in Gaza, at the mill with slaves,
Himself in bonds under Philistian yoke.
Yet stay; let me not rashly call in doubt Divine prediction.
What if all foretold Had been fulfilled but through mine own default?
45 Whom have I to complain of but myself,”
After my friend’s suicide, I have been searching for signs of
God or the universe or some damn higher power
In this wasteland of a world.
I have had some luck in this, but not a hell of a lot….
Those statues left me cold.
The lush beauty of the grass around that church, which would be such a fine place to frolic barefoot,
Is no doubt private property. No one is ever allowed on it, I’ll bet.
Again, sorry for the lateness of my response..Jim
I entirely agree with m. chariot.
That is why I sought comfort from Mary and James that day.
If only they'd had eyes I might have gazed into!
b.princess...yes, my innocence, alas, is not a literary device.
Indeed, I am a child with a big vocabulary!
g. jester: thanks, sir, for the link. I am tempted to
put that picture in my post!
but, listen: weren't all the hotel rooms booked that night,
if i remember my Bible right?
One of the best contestants had been preparing for years by developing an outside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the hula hoop.
It seemed a bit like cheating to me to wear a hula hoop as if it were Spandex, but it certainly was effective at keeping it off the ground.