Literature On Found Objects

“I am like the sun…” on stone

[We’re vacationing in Corpus Christi, Texas, right now, and I’ve vowed not to write on paper or keyboard while here. Since she saw me suffer, my dear wife suggested I could write flash on shells, stones or scales found at the beach. And I did!

Breaking away from the warmth and the wiliness of Texas to quickly send you this with the digital wind, instead of a card.]

Selected Works of a Hermit Crab Written on Shells, Stones and Scales

1. I’m like the sun: there’s only one of me. I’m like the last beat of your heart: no sound escapes my hollow. Do not publish what you don’t understand: copies do not cement truth, they bury it. If you believe in stony men they’ll skewer your smile. Stick to soft surfaces: your skin is never the same surprise.

2. I’m an infant caught in a broken shell by a powerful curse. Say “ME” aloud bowing North, South, West, East and you’ll take my place for a 1000 years. Or say nothing and remain who you are, flaws and farts, fearful fantasies and all.

3. A man made his living by writing prose poems on found shells using the finest calligraphy ever seen. Whenever anyone tried to copy his fragile creations, they lost all their might. The president of his country gave 9 of his texts, consisting of 100 words each, written on the dried skinless skulls of the rare Sargasso sea turtle to the heads of state of the world’s 9 leading nations. One day a master thief stole all nine skulls and held them ransom for 1 billion dollars. Subsequently, the heads of state met with the prose poet for 1 incredibly long hour in which he painted one letter on the nail of the right thumb of each of them. The letters spelled “never mind”. From that day on, politics turned poetic and never again became the butterfly business it had been before.

4. I’m no poet, I’m an oyster. That’s why I can be brutally honest: you hold death in your palm – I was murdered by time as we all are. But I rode my wave to the end: that’s courage!

5. The love that longs, lasts.

Published in ILK Journal and included in the > language > place carnival #3 by Blue Print Review ed. by Nicolette Wong.

13 thoughts on “Literature On Found Objects”

Absolutely beautiful in sight and so very true in each choice of word/s and composition of the words into poetry… i met your works for the first time tonight after a recommendation from a friend on FB and feel much richer in soul heart. Thank you for sharing such wonders. x 🙂

Marcus, I so love the words on the ‘alternative media’! You are such an artist. Peace…

thank you, emma & linda, for reading and for leaving such kind comments on my little digital blog. back in berlin now, missing the beach and the shells – though i’ve brought a collection with me, it’s just not the same. even my colorful bracelet that looked so great in texas looks cheap here in europe…(sigh). yes to alternative anything!

These are so awesome. And that’s about as articulate as I can get right now.

Hello Marcus

I found your blog through Michelle Elvy’s and I’ve read your stuff on Fictionaut too. You might have read about the Language/Place blog carnival which Michelle participated in last time.

http://virtual-notes.blogspot.com/2010/11/language-place-blog-carnival.html

I’d like to include this post in the December edition of the blog carnival which I’ll be hosting. It’s a wonderful piece of writing and I want to include more creative pieces than those usual blog posts people tend to submit 😉 Would you be happy to send a brief description of yourself and this post to:

langplace@gmail.com

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Nicolette

Loved reading this again.

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msb says:

December 16, 2010 at 9:27 am

hey, thanks chris. “Taksi or Fright” is hilarious – you’re such a brilliant travel writer. you know the secret sauce. soy.