Reading Weather

The reading ebbs and flows. Lately it has slowed to a crawl. Or maybe it goes on by itself while the reader is otherwise occupied — except that the reader often is not occupied at all. In fact, the reader’s presence should not be assumed, although his body may be, for it serves as a kind of bookmark in the story that is the reader’s life. A great many stories outlive their bookmark. But occasionally a bookmark outlives its story, and we are left to marvel at its beauty alone.

February 16, 2021

Reading Weather

Reading weather. Standing water. Hailstorms. Unstable air aloft. Massive cloud formations. Rapidly changing light. Dark in the room. Lamp time. Sudden sun. Blinding reflections. Misty veils. Spirit glass. Reading the weather. Reading the water. Reading the clouds. Earth book. Sky book. Life book. Even the pages have veins. Look down. Leaves at your feet. Taking root. Stand up. Stretch. Dance. Laugh. Can it be? Five minutes already? An hour? Old age? Infancy? “Oh, is this your youngest? How cute!” “Yes, he’s the baby of the family.” Yes, the baby. But look closely, because now he is a grandfather with a beard. And we, my friend, are glorious dust. By golly, you’re right — he does look like us!

Recently Banned Literature, April 17, 2018

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