Setsuled's Journal

When poets lie, Bjork turns to science;



That's wires for ya. But what of YouTube?

I guess I've been watching plenty of television. Heroes has started up again--we're two episodes into the current, er, half-season. The first episode was interesting with cringe-inducing dialogue. The second had inoffensive dialogue but with a focus on unconvincing and abrupt character development. Caitlin accurately described it as "soap-opera tedium". But at least Christopher Eccleston got to flex his acting-muscles a little.

Speaking of Caitlin, I've just finished reading the latest issue of her Sirenia Digest, which featured one story by her and one story by Sonya.

It goes without saying at this point that both authors effectively created interesting atmosphere with language. Though while the brilliance is regular, it invariably packs a fresh punch.

Sonya's "A Voice in Caves" might have as easily been called "White Narcissus", I think, which she might appreciate for her recent viewing of Black Narcissus. Her story is about a very curious, very mysterious relationship between two people that nonetheless reflects a keen understanding of, and ability to render clear semblances of, human nature. It's quite beautiful, sad, and sort of wonderfully cold.

"The Sphinx's Kiss", Caitlin's story, is an interesting play on Oscar Wilde's "Salome", set almost entirely in a scene reminiscent of the orgy sequence from Eyes Wide Shut, but with an entirely male cast, and featuring a satisfying supernatural quality that I always longed for in the Stanley Kubrick movie.

I've been reading plenty of Caitlin lately as I'm also about 1/8th through reading Daughter of Hounds, which has been very good so far. Lately, before going to sleep, I've been reading Daughter of Hounds until I hit a break, then I read one chapter of Kazuo Koike and Kazuo Kamimura's Lady Snowblood, and finish with one Anne Sexton poem.

I purchased Sexton's Complete Poems some time ago, but it'll be ages before I finish as I'm just not someone who can read and digest multiple poems very quickly. My brain works too slowly. Or I'm all about the slow and sensuous, yeah. I got your sexy tortoise right here, you naughty hare, with your fluffy tail . . .

Which reminds me, I have to sleep and be up early for a dentist's appointment to-morrow. I'll close by saying last night I read Sexton's "With Mercy for the Greedy", which contains a line Caitlin often quotes; "Need is not quite belief." I'm not sure I ever felt an active need to believe in Christ, though I can understand wanting to be conscious after death, and wanting something providing spiritual insurance for this stupid, self destructive species. But like the lady says . . .