Monday, November 15, 2010

Painted by Hand

There, 2010

The city was silent in the distance. Each building oddly outlined in white. The sky a vacuous black. Stars formed thick amoeba-like clusters, none stood alone. It was time to go. I drove through the deep night and emerged on the other side, continuing until the roads grew narrow and all of the signs were painted by hand. I made my own shoulder, as large as the road, so others could pass, and continued on foot. I discovered a bed made of pine with a mattress of fallen leaves bound by a white cotton quilt. My pillow, it did feel it was mine, was crisp and clean and scattered with wild strawberry cross stitch. Beside the bed stood the stump of a tree, on it a hollowed apple filled with fresh cider. It fit my palms perfectly. I lifted it to my lips. I slept until I woke, unsure if hours or days had passed. My apple was full, again. I sat up and sipped, looking out the lace curtains and across the prairie, prepared for the unknown.

17 comments:

  1. I have just written a post about places i have slept. i wish i had slept here:)

    Lovely.

    xo jane

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  2. I feel like a Nick Drake song floating in the background of your words this time would be very fitting.

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  3. flwrjane, As I mentioned, it seems we are on a similar wavelength today. Nice. I like it.

    t does wool, Thank you.

    alexandria, You prompted me to play a little Nick Drake. It feels good.

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  4. this is so lovely! i want to be lying on that strawberry-cross-stitched pillow.

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  5. so beautiful.
    so very beautiful.
    xo

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  6. "Stars formed thick amoeba-like clusters, none stood alone." is a beautiful image I will tuck in my pocket for the now.

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  7. Very beautiful dear Denise.

    Thank you for being part of my small winter game.

    Lucky Tuesday, with cups of green tea!

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  8. Such beautiful words. They evoke the same feeling in me as when I am driving away from the city at night and going to the mountains. There is just this 'feeling' about leaving a buzzing city for the quiet of the natural envinronment.

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  9. Beautiful.
    Sounds like a lovely place Denise.

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  10. I feel like I'm right there with you.

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  11. loved going on this dream journey with you, into another land.
    your writing, imagery at first evocative of Merwin! but in the end, it's all Denise, centered and earnest in exploration.

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  12. I want that pillow, too. And that ability to sleep so deeply again, like a child...

    xoox,
    -maria

    ps: it also made me think, if you're rooted then you can't up and go, though...no?

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  13. beautiful - very evocative and dream like + I like the word vacuous.... it's one of those words that I just 'like'

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  14. Thanks, everyone. You are a beautifully sensitive and thoughtful bunch.

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