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Sunday, August 29, 2010

FAIRY TALE BLOGFEST entry_LET ME FALL_GHOST OF A CHANCE Interlude




Samuel Clemens here, and this is my selection for Roland's FAIRY TALE BLOGFEST entry

http://steppingintofantasy.blogspot.com/2010/08/fairy-tale-blogfestcontest.html

This snippet once more involves the fallen angel from his WORD PAINT entry

and is Roland's take on "La Belle Dame sans Merci" :

“... darkness yet in light, To live a life half dead, a living death, And buried; but O yet more miserable! My self, my Sepulcher.”

John Milton {“Samson Agonistes.”}



LET ME FALL

"Let me fall,

Let me climb,

There is a moment when fear

And dream must collide."



I am the last of my race. I am Tuatha de Danann. And, no, human, that does not mean elf, or fae, or damned. I take that last back. I am damned.



"Someone I am

Is waiting for courage,

The one I want,

The one I will become,

Will catch me."



I have no memories of my youth. Youth. The word is a mockery to me.

Though I look a young woman, I have lived centuries which I do remember. I remember when the sphinx had a nose,

when the pyramids were caressed by shimmering limestone,

and when courage and honor were not hollow words.

Yes, that long ago do I remember.



"Let me fall,

If I fall,

Though the phoenix

May or may not rise."



Then how do I even know I am Tuatha de Danann? The knowledge sings to me from the depths of my spirit in the night.


Its melody mocks with teasing glimpses of a time long gone, yet unborn.



"I will dance so freely,

Holding on to no one;

You can hold me only

If you, too, will fall

Away from all your

Useless fears and chains."



How do I know I am Sidhe? It is the face which mocks me from the mirror.

High cheekbones which seem intent on bursting up and out of flesh which shimmers as if coated with stardust.

A living waterfall of honey-wheat hair, looking more like a lion's mane than any other earthly term I could use.

Large, slanted fae eyes, chilling even me with their lack of warmth or mercy.



"So let me fall,

If I must fall,

There is no reason

To miss this one chance

This perfect moment;

Just let me fall."



But enough about me. What do you think about me? On second thought, do not tell me.

What care I what humans think of me? But I lie. I do care. At least about what one human thinks of me.


Roland Yeomans. DreamSinger. He is Lakota fairy tale come to life. He is the shaman who sings dreams to life. And he will tell me my beginnings or die.



"So let me fall,

If I must fall,

I won't heed your warnings;

I won't hear them."



My mind is churning with images humans could not comprehend as I sway up the steps of the Art Nouveau house,

that is just one of the doorways into Roland’s psyche.

Just its name alone is punishment to think, much less speak : Jugendstilhaus in der Ainmillerstrabe.

Once it had been the home of the infamous Countess Franziska zu Reventlow,

her erotic lifestyle and cosmic nonsense had inspired and broken the hearts of an entire generation in Munich.

Now it has to settle for being the most elite restaurant in the city.

No knocking on the door. This restaurant is much too elite for that. Only a rare electronic key will work … a key based on the silicon ingrams of Roland’s own brain.

I have mine in my longer than human fingers. Roland had sung this establishment into being along with most of Munich back when he used the pen name, The Brothers Grimm.

I slide the key through the black slot whose color matches my short-skirted version of a S.S. uniform.

True, I am some seventy years out of date. But what is seventy years to a Tuatha de Danann?

A mere hiccup in time.

I remember Wagner trying to teach me German ... among other things. I go cold inside. I remember too much, feel too little.

I enjoy the glares of the pompous patrons as I roll my hips to the back table reserved for DreamSinger alone.

The maitre d' nearly breaks his neck getting to me, but I am already seated, making sure my short skirt is hiked up suitably indecent to induce doomed desire.

He stands trembling over me as I take out my copy of The Spirit as Adversary of the Soul by old Ludwig Klages from my skirt pocket.

I am almost through with his nonsense. Seeing how close he can come to the truth, while stumbling right past it always makes me chuckle.

The maitre d' isn't close to chuckling. "Fraulein, you simply cannot wear that uniform in here!"

"Sure I can. What is the matter? Afraid those power brokers to our right will find out your grandfather wore this uniform for real?"

He spins around so fast he leaves an after-image. Roland clears his throat across the table from me.

“He cannot help his past.”

I study this strange man. His eyes. Damn, his eyes. They look as if they have seen all the pain in the world … and have felt most of it.

“I’m tired of this dancing, DreamSinger. Who am I?”

Roland looks truly surprised. “I thought you knew. You are La Belle Dame sans Merci .”

"Is that my name or my nature?"

"Both."

I sit back in my chair. I had been right, after all. I am damned.

***


23 comments:

  1. Hmm, my fantasy MC, Wynter, is Tuatha de Danann. But she does not know it. And neither does the monastary that raised her to be a Paladin.

    But, her character is nowhere near this eloquent. Perhaps when she is fully developed she may compare herself to this fantasy, and hope . .

    A haunting, indepth character portrayal Roland.

    Excellent work.

    ........dhole

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  2. What a haunting dinner date. ;-D I loved...

    The maitre d' nearly breaks his neck getting to me, but I am already seated, making sure my short skirt is hiked up suitably indecent to induce doomed desire.

    Men can be too easy.

    I do not know many of the names you gave. I do know Art Nouveau style is a fave of mine. As for the rest, when I read your offerings, I want to know more. Not just about the story--always the story--but also about the references you make to other works, authors, times. You really are a far and varied read.

    Enjoy your week, Roland.

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  3. Once again, your descriptive writting just kicks ass! Great, great take of this story!

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  4. I love the poetry interludes. Really great job!

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  5. ooh i love La Belle Dame sans Merci and have a waterhouse print hanging in my room. Nice choice

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  6. ooo---haunting, beautiful, I love it! :o)

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  7. Wow, as usual you never fail to post a deep, poetic, haunting entry! Ignorant little me, had to Google " La Belle Dame sans Merci" and "Tuatha de Danann". I learn something new from your blog every time I visit! :)

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  8. I had to google them just like J.C. Your writing is beautiful and it teaches by example. Thanks for this wonderful post! :D

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  9. Love your take on Tuatha de Danann! And the ending, perfect!

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  10. this is very poetic. I love the strength in the characters. The music fits perfect with it if you let it play while reading your piece. :)

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  11. I've missed reading your story bits over the summer. Your writing always has a provocative haunted feeling.

    Love it!

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  12. Hi,

    The ultimate femme fatale without Mercy, oh joy!

    What more can man want from life?

    best
    F

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  13. As always Roland, it's a pleasure to read your writing. I love love love that you used La Belle Dame sans Merci in this.

    It's so terribly haunting and beautiful.

    :)

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  14. Being a bit of a silly billy I have no idea of the names referred to here (apart from Roland!) nor the references (sorry!) but I do like the rhythm of this story and the chorus too.

    A unique take on a fairy tale - very dark and hallucigenic.

    Take care
    x

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  15. You post such beautiful stuff! Well done.

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  16. Another great piece. You have a gift for style which makes your prose sound lyrical. Some great description too!

    Scribbler to Scribe

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  17. I did some research to find out who this mysterious lady is. Very cool Irish history/mythology. I learn a lot from your references. You do a fabulous job bringing mythology to life and making the reader care. I love her sassy attitude, even if it's partially a front...?

    So, if she's the Lady, does that mean Roland is dead? Or is it okay because they're in a place Roland created? Is this related to the Shadow World saga? Hmmm....in any event, I like her.

    Josh Groban-sigh......a completely beautiful voice. Perfect song choice, btw. I just had a thought....his voice is like your writing :)

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  18. This is absolute poetry. Like. Very. Much.

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  19. This is my kind of fairy tale!

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  20. oooh, I love the poetry. Great job!! So musical.

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  21. loved how the poetical bits were woven into the work. enjoyed the character (there are tuatha de' in my WIP too!- but of course quite different than yours) very eloquent as always! :)

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  22. I loved the interspersion of the song lyrics. Beautiful.

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  23. ...so it was a copy and paste... hmmm... for some reason, I thought the story continued to the new year, will read on and find out. ok.

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