Back in the Dark Ages,
before the afternoons turned
to curdled milk,
we had a machine
made entirely of wood,
stained to look like iron
& greased with bear fat.
It creaked something wonderful,
like a house full of crickets.
It was easy to operate at
slow speeds, the idea being
to fit one’s body in among
the upright rocking levers
& dance with it, dressed like
a Siberian shaman, spool
for the spirit world’s
high-wire act. But
I made it go too fast
& it flew apart.
I found myself lying
alone on a hillside,
under the speechless stars.
Purveyors of fine poetry since 2003.
I love this. And its moral is one that those of us who mess with such machines can’t hear too often :-)
I have a picture of something distinctly Leonardo-ish. And I’m with Dale on the moral!
For some reason I keep envisioning this as something like a children’s book, lavishly illustrated. Perhaps because it’s just so darn visual. I love it, too.
I get the definite impression you would like one, or at least to try again.
The bear fat part is especially good, and “creaked something wonderful.” I don’t quite understand afternoons turning to curdled milk, but it sounds good with the rest of the poem, and I figure I ought to be able to imagine it.
Damn fine.
Makes me want to jump up and down and say, “Can I ride it again, Dave, can I can I?”
Thanks for the kind words.
Dale – I didn’t think of it as having a moral, but you’re right – i guess it does. If you want it to.
Dick – Actually, the most direct inspiration was Jean Gimpel’s fine history, The Medieval Machine. Europeans have been obsessed with gears and levers for close to a thousand years, now. The Romans thought such things were only fit for children’s toys.
MB – I tried and failed to find a good illustration for this post. I guess it didn’t need one, from what you’re saying.
Beth – You mean the afternoons don’t do that where you are?
(Oo, a winter wren just sang right outside my door! Love that.)
Lori – Hmm. Maybe I should start charging…
Dave…what kind of wood did you use? Please make another one. But you could install a speed governor in it so that you would not be able to go so fast. It might work.
I wanna say walnut, but I’m not sure. In the dream, it was already made when i got there.
the wood was rubbed with used motor oil for that dark Teutonic finish…carbon in solution, a slight sheen, water beads up…ask me about this in person.
qrr – I will. The idea of such precise dream interpretation is really quite overwhelming.