People of The Sea

Renalto carries me inside a hemp sack wrapped around his back; I rock back and forth humming Lucid's lesson. We wave at bicycle messengers, chocolate conveyor workers, fishermen, coffee bean gardeners, coconut gatherers, banana harvesters, shop keepers, florists, hot steppers, low ballers, and ship mates. The water is an ever present crystal; I desire thus to be my mind.

Many dreams come, many nightmares form, I am one evermore

The name you call me belongs to us

The name you know me makes me an eternal entity

This song is sung

This song is done

This song is for us

This song is without words for faint lips

Twist and writhe blood

Drink

Drink

Remember me always my infinite sun

Infinite sun...

Infinite...

Evermore...

Present...

Here I am...

Know me...

I am Amethyst

The purple stone

She recites thus for two worlds; my heart listens. A crane sips from a fountain hosting three naked marble princes; her white wings fluff into dandelion propellers. I run to catch pillows but fall into dreaming sheets.

"I think they call it narcolepsy."

"...is that why you call him that?"

"Narco."

"Yeah..."

".....they call opium a narcotic."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah...has to do with falling asleep suddenly."

"Do you think he can hear me?"

".....yes.....did you drink the milk before you rocked him to nap?"

"............how...I...he will won't he?"

"Not that stuff. Something else in a bottle..."

"What color is it?"

"....liquid haze...."

"How do you know about it?"

".........I saw it inside a dream."

"What did he do?"

"....rejected it for no more illegitimacy."

"Tis natural."

"Yes it is."

"Strange..."

"We think it is just one of those things..."

"What is natural?"

"I'm not sure anymore."

"He is..."

".......swords..."

"What?"

"...yeah...you get them boy...you get them for me too...for me too."

".....I won't ask who."

"...........................would you recognize him if he was you?"

".....he is with me infinitely..."

"Hey boy. They're pretty bad. Nobody likes them......it's a test...no more pop quizzes...no more rounds for punches...tis the real damn thing...what if she isn't there? You got to be her. You got to be purple. You got to be strong. You got to be cool. You got to be a bad little motherfucker no matter what."

"......I put him down once and he wrapped around my thigh."

"Enjoy it while you can huh?"

"I didn't really want to put him down. I wanted to carry him more."

".....I won't ask him an age."

".........."

"You will be scrutinized and set apart."

"What else?"

"....try to hold it together lest it all falls apart. If you don't experience it then there is none just a digital insecurity and people masked with the appearance of fun."

"Where do you come from?"

"A blue car."

"Huh?"

".....I don't know how I got here but where I came from was so weird..."

"Was he there?"

"Yeah..."

"What was he doing?"

"Fighting with someone."

"Who were they?"

".......I didn't know people could....well I used to eat those....he's got a good stomach."

"?"

"......it was verbal and he won."

"What did he say?"

"Enough."

"What did they do?"

"Stop."

"What of those people you say?"

"......they buy clothes for a funeral procession."

"Whose?"

"...."

"Oh."

"Tacky too."

"What color?"

"Navy blue."

"Ew."

"............that's a good one boy. Keep it with you....name it after me. Always keep it with you....it's a sapphire blue handle and Okinawa metal. My name is Angler."

"Is it real?"

"The fish?"

"Yes..."

"......I hope we never find out."

"Why?"

"....they grow feet and walk around."

"Who told you that?"

"That's how I got this scar."

"It looks like a smiley face."

"It's on my palm...left...ouch."

"Did you see it?"

"No..."

"How did you know?"

"....there was a glowing thing hanging from it's nose."

"Bastard!"

"........what does that mean?"

"British word for a stinging creature without compassion."

"Good description."

"...he's my adorable being."

".......that sauce you made was spectacular."

"You tried it?"

"Did you teach him?"

"He watched me the whole process."

"Can't eat it every night though..."

"It is a single moment."

"....Jamaican curry....."

"Rice patties."

"....did you eat some of it?"

"...no..."

"You didn't even taste it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't eat olive oil..."

"Oh......you remind me of olive oil."

"How?"

"I got to go."

"Why?"

"Time's running out!"

"Then what?"

"....I got find him!"

"Who?"

"Chocolate Boy."

"He is right here!"

".......neon pink...you got that?"

"....what am I?"

"You're a vampire."

"....I thought I was too little..."

"For what?"

"....I miss my momma."

"She's right here!"

"I'm trying to find you...she's stuck inside me...I can't stand her...once she realizes what is her flesh I will need my spectacles."

"He wears glasses to read."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Why do you need them?"

"The pages are white....the letters glare together from light..."

"...the glass reflects the refraction..."

"Yeah..."

"Are they clear without a percentage?"

"How did you know?"

"....is that what you do?"

"Mine are round."

"Mine are boxes."

".........Chocolate Boy...they will speculate but you will wear spectacles.."

"Why is Great Britain here?"

"...marijuana seeds..."

"From Gator Island."

".....those things are komodo dragons."

"....smells like grapefruit."

"Sure does."

"He wanted to go there with his twin but the gators freaked him out."

"It's low water too. About as tall as his neck."

"We walked there."

"Did you see them?"

"They hissed at a boat and whipped their tails...we walked away."

"Yeah....bad motherfuckers..."

"...what will I do without him?"

"...........what will he do without you?"

Passers by acknowledge my sleepiness, I drift into walking dreariness, Renalto calls my name, I dream of hour glass sands sifting digital blocks; a woman caresses my nose and exclaims milky softness. I wish for Ruby to wake me up but Reginald carries his drift. Zen is eating rice cake with Nadia, Tusk curses at fishnets, Fiasco curses at anchors, Ebony bathes underneath lavender leaves, Lucid bathes underneath jasmine leaves, Braid awaits another vision, Crystal snorkels underwater, Ambrosia dives into cataclysm, Varushna explores the Spanish island. Cumbersome realities parallel relapsing eyelids, cocoa butterflies flutter. Brilliant bronze chains hoist frozen slayer pink ocean hypnotic slabs.

"We are slaves."

"....how long will this last?"

"........what if they do this again?"

"....ropes and bands..."

"He comes with a horse..."

"He comes to whip you."

"I've had enough."

"I didn't know working was another man's territory..."

"I just wanted a damn banana."

"Tis plantain Cordelia."

"Where are they from?"

"....I don't know....every Brit on the island is a god damn plantation trick whore..."

"Even him."

"He was just swimming alongside the shore!"

"I will get his brother if you take care of this one."

"Each of us to one."

"Where do they come from?"

"....who cares anymore."

Eighteen blades connect nine bones, shark skin webs between joints; miniature pear emeralds sparkle black leather, orange oils pine wood fingers, carbon steel razors.

"What is it for?"

"....it's a fan Teddy Bear."

"For you?"

"......"

"I like you a lot."

"Do you miss Katarzyna?"

".........."

"Was she your girlfriend?"

"....I don't know."

"How come?"

"...once she held me close."

"What did that feel like?"

"......um....felt like purpose or enlightenment."

"How so?"

"...we didn't see each other for so long..."

"Why?"

"......they told me I was too small."

"For what?"

"I don't know. I think they thought I was going to like her more than I should."

"I understand that much..."

"She never carried me or treated me like that."

".......what happened on the mountain?"

"...she showed me the art of love making..."

".....did you touch her?"

"Just her palms to mine."

"...were you dreaming?"

"I think so."

".......hhhmmm..."

"Somebody told her we would have nightmares."

"About what?"

"Confusion and lust."

"....insomnia is a battle."

"...I carry her when I feel like it."

"She told me."

"I can spin her over my head."

"She told me."

"I do it because she looks like cherry blossoms flying through the winds..."

"She said you are the most ticklish on your right side."

"....oh yeah she does that until I fall all over the place and my pants slip off my arse."

".........she is a good looking person."

"Yes she is very handsome but desires not one."

"You were her first."

"I am not sure what was done!"

"I know..."

"You know what..."

"That it bothered you..."

"What?"

"......come on...I want to show you the sword."

"What is this place?"

"Some kind of palace."

"Who lives here?"

"...paintings of people."

"It's so close to high water..."

"It will go under."

"What about this stuff?"

"It's inside cases...it will float."

"Is that it?"

"It's just like you."

"My rib hurts."

"So does my throat ball."

"....let's go before it sinks."

"Okay..."

"Wake up Loon."

"....I was waiting for Amber."

"Party's over."

"What was it about?"

"Called a rave."

"....I'm sick feeling..."

"....the world's about to end....god damn...for real."

"......I want some edamame crunchies."

"He closed his shop."

"Why?"

".............."

"The world's about to end."

"Here comes your friend."

"Amber..."

".......that was terrible."

"What will we look like?"

"....the same."

"What do I look like?"

"...my friend."

"Where is he anyways?"

"He comes here very so often..."

"What does he do?"

"....he lives in the Czech underbelly."

"Why?"

"......something about coins and cocoa butter..."

"Your fish is over there."

"....it's ugly and mushy."

"Yeah but you got to eat it."

"I do..."

".......you do know you are married to him don't you?"

"....he's so cute."

"Like a puppy?"

".......what is he?"

"A dog."

"I found him in the snow."

"?"

"I saw these blue eyes..."

".....he's very delightful."

"You can have him."

"You give me a snowball with eyes."

"....I was wondering what he was..."

".......are you my puppy?"

"...woof."

"...woof."

"I forget which is which."

"Odin is the one that does not go to bed with you."

"He does too."

"He sleeps in between the both of you."

"There is a cat."

"....she's your pillow."

"......"

"Why doesn't he say anything?"

"...I kissed his neck a lot."

"Speak please."

"....wow."

"Wow what?"

"....I dream about her."

"She's next to you Aldous."

"I carry her..."

"....does he drink?"

"Cognac."

".....is that coffee?"

"He keeps a bag of beans in his pocket."

"It smells very good."

"....do you want to marry me or what?"

"Huh?"

"This is your mom."

"......Avie calls him dad."

"....I'm the one with the stuff."

"...what stuff?"

"Cordelia..."

"Yes..."

"....................don't do what I do okay?"

"..."

"Are you listening?"

"I heard something about something."

".....Avie where are you?"

"I'm hiding."

"Why?"

"Dad is mad."

"At what?"

".......some kind of dream about buttons."

"...what are you doing husband?"

"......"

"Husband?"

"...."

"Husband!"

"Wife. I am mad."

"Husband, where are my glasses?"

"Inside my pants."

"Why?"

"...."

"Give them back."

"Unzip me."

"No!"

"Why?"

"....I don't want to do it wrong."

"......this thing is so confusing."

"Tis a garter belt."

"How does it unlatch?"

"Slip the knob out of the loop!"

".......god damn it I give up."

"...Avie that is my..."

"I want one."

"....Cordelia your sister is..."

"I have one."

"God damn it."

"What color is it?"

"....purple..."

"Do you wear it?"

".......well....yeah."

"Momma what is it for?"

"Holding up stockings."

"....do people know you wear it?"

"They see the straps."

"Is it bad?"

"It's shy bondage."

"....oh..."

"Brad your grandchild is..."

"I'm watching sports on tv."

"....what?"

"I think it has to do with an orange ball."

"Why?"

"....I don't want to talk to her about boys."

"Five hundred."

"....who are these boys?"

"...I found them."

"Where?"

".......well...sort of just happened."

"You cannot marry them."

"Okay."

"Go home Nick."

"....I was a real asshole."

"....you punched me."

"........who do you want her to marry?"

"...your twin."

"Who is that?"

"...I saw him in a dream."

"He wasn't me..."

"....how did you get here?"

".......I feel like shit."

"They split you in half."

"Great."

"....they did that to a few."

"Why?"

"..........why is an answer."

"He's okay."

"..."

"Renalto..."

"Yeah boy?"

"I don't want to sleep anymore."