Steer Forth!

A matter of emphasis and perception

James Steerforth — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:30:27 +0000

“It’s a yellow day,” Maud said.
But everything inside and outside

looked green (we live in a
greenhouse). “Yes, today

is a yellow day,” she repeated.
“Because the sun is shining.”

Note
Q: So what’s the enigma here (since I tagged this with enigma)?
A: The enigma lies more in the facts that are left unsaid (ellipsis) but are hinted at.
Q: I see. … Why do you consider this a happy poem?
A: Because the sun is out in it and the colors mentioned are bright and cheerful. Perfect ingredients of a spring day.

Going gently

James Steerforth — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:44:34 +0000

Despite its drab, dusty appearance, the tendrils of this big plant in the middle of the forest pulsated invitingly, drawing me into its center.

Where I am now, waiting to be digested.

Thank God I had with me my Android smartphone and good reception, allowing me to post this for posterity.

What number do I call in this godforsaken country where no-one knows me?

Written around drab, pulsate and tendril from 3WW CCCXIV.

Note
I expanded the story slightly based on a logical flaw revealed by a comment, “You can use a smartphone to call for help, you know…”. Thank you, J. Cosmo Newbery!

Resolution

James Steerforth — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:12:12 +0000

I have been idle at a nagging pace.

I wrote and painted very little last year. This was certainly due to the fact that I was too busy in real life – moving to another country, starting a more or less new life while continuing work to earn a living. So that there really was little time for creative work. And when there happened to be more time, I often found myself tired and uninspired.

This is something I need and want to change – to do that is one of my resolutions for this new year.

– James Steerforth

The words idle, nagging and pace are from 3WW. Happy new year and happy 300th anniversary, Three Word Wednesday!

Family benefits

James Steerforth — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:41:39 +0000

“I’ll pay you as soon as possible. Really!”
“That promise won’t elicit more ‘n a hollow laugh from my hollow tooth,” the goon said.
I wondered about a graduate word like ‘elicit’ from such an uncouth mouth.
“Look, if I had the money, I’d give it to you – gladly. I don’t like debts.”
“Neither do I, neither do I, my dear boy. That’s why I’m here.”
He moved his right hand to his back, and it returned holding a gun.
My mouth dried up another notch, and I instinctively retreated a step.
He clucked with his tongue.
“If you weren’t Don Caprese’s son, my boy, and thus family, so to speak, I’d shoot you in the knee now.”
I felt like saying, ‘glad you’re not gonna,’ but he might have thought that too flippant and done it after all, so I just stood there.
“That gambling streak runs in the family, and it’s all right ‘s long as one’s lucky. But you ain’t. And that’s the crux.”
He sighed.
“As I said, I’ll pay it back ASAP. I’m already working on it.”
He gave a laugh that sounded indeed as if it came from a hollow tooth.
“I know you’s working on it. You been playing the races again.”
I swallowed.
“But let me tell you it’s not gonna happen that way. You gonna be my slave from now on, my boy, and do as I tell you, until every penny of that 5000 is paid back.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“You know, I’m like a modern-day southern sheriff, ‘cluding the rattlesnake whip. I run a bunch of slaves that owe me money. … I’m having another house built right now, and I can use your hands, my boy. At five dollars an hour. So you’re gonna work your sorry little gambling ass off for me for a thousand hours. How many weeks is that, my boy? Eight hours a day, Sundays off?”
“I don’t quite know. … But you can’t do that … it’s illegal!”
He chuckled and made a nasty metallic noise with the gun.
“See you there tomorrow. At 7:30 on the dot.”
He put the gun away behind his back, pressed a card with an address into my hand and left.

Posted for Trifecta and ‘hollow’.

Encounter in a train in a remote part of the earth

James Steerforth — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:11:32 +0000

“Even in motion you have peaceful vision,” the old Uigur said, “what was, is and will be – all going by.”

Contains the words motion, peaceful and vision from 3WW.

From Rosa La Monte’s diary

James Steerforth — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:06:20 +0000

Friday, Nov. 9, 2012

Danny called and we decided to meet for lunch at that most reliable of bistros, Le Diabolique. On the chalkboard they had Délice, Compromise, Naughtiness, Decision, Forward and Back. Danny ordered the Compromise, which pleased him very much, except that the noodles were just the tiniest tad overdone, but the malty farro more than made up for that. I thought about Naughtiness, which I’d had before – a delightfully spicy dish with red pepper, parsley, pesto and plenty of parmigiano – but eventually opted for Decision, and was pleasantly surprised by its decisive flavor, mostly due to shades of tarragon and dill, two of my favorites. We both had Forward for dessert. It’s a no-brainer, really moves you forward rather than its somewhat conservative and ponderous counterpart, Back. All in all, we spent a wonderful hour together, and when, once we were outside, he kissed me fully on the mouth, I thought wow and said we should repeat this real soon. Like tomorrow! And he said yes! Yea! From now on it’ll be only Naughtiness.

Choicefully composed around ingredients from Three Word Wednesday.

What writing does

James Steerforth — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 16:14:41 +0000

Writing takes you to another dimension.
Reading is one – you assemble
images and understanding
from particles. By writing
you become what is closer
to a creator or god: you create universes
from particulate matter.

The challenge at Trifecta was to write about why we write … this is a more oblique treatment in 35 words.

Sunday morning

James Steerforth — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 10:34:02 +0000

For S.

A tidal sound wave of the Italian
airforce flying formations woke us
at eight forty-five today
The office is as messy as usual,
its effect on my writing and
other parameters yet to be examined
as to creative or stifling chaos
Sadhana is downstairs calling Neelu in India
Then the plan is to shower and go to Elite
so we can have lunch afterwards
All a sequence to unroll on this Sunday
in November in Rome, Italia,
mondo, universe

Death had mercy

James Steerforth — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 08:44:06 +0000

Well now death don’t have no mercy in this land
– Jorma Kaukonen

So there he came round, grey specter that he is, skull shaking and bones rattling, calling on one in our round, didn’t say who, but we sent him scuttling, did we ever, and told him not to ever show his ugly face again if he was aiming to stay alive!

– James Steerforth

Written for Trifecta on DEATH in a little over 40 words.

In three words

James Steerforth — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 17:07:08 +0000

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.
– Robert Frost

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it does end.
– James Steerforth

The task at Trifecta was to vary the statement by Robert Frost – “Sum up anything you want, but do it in three words. Your response should mirror Frost’s quote by beginning, ‘In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about–.’”

So I came up with a truism opposed to Robert Frost’s truism.