Bleak Black Celebrity

 

A crime so repulsively heinous it

boggles the mind that when he recorded

himself eviscerating the man he had

just killed and noting for posterity before

he posted it that the parts were a carnivore's

delight the atrocity provided entertainment

and evoked envy among those for whom

such atrocities were treats to be savoured.

An international search through Interpol

brought him back to the scene of the

crime where he was charged, tried and

convicted, a man whose posturing and

egocentric hubris transfixed a reluctant

audience with disbelief that anyone could

become such a monster. The mute grief

of the victim's parents as they sat day

after day through the trial before returning

to their own country to mourn their son

there, seared the memories of the public

compassionate in their own sorrow that

society could raise such a deviant wretch.

Mother of the sadistic murderer though

begs to differ; they don't know her son but

she does, a lovely human being with not

an ounce of venom in his heart for anyone

for he played with kittens not as charged

tormented then killed them. But it is the

kindheartedness of the national prison

system that places everything in its proper

perspective when it arranged for his

marriage with conjugal rights to another

prisoner as they couple for a lifetime of

what others call happily wedded bliss.

 

Doctor ....

 

He sees you every six months and

you seem to think your advanced age

gives you liberty each time to tell him

how weary he looks, how strained and

you admonish him as though he is the

patient and you the doctor. He regards

you thoughtfully, shrugs and admits he

needs a rest but cannot see where he

would find one. Too busy, too many

calls on his expertise, too much you

know, responsibility. And you part of

course amicably, in hand yet another of

his prescriptions for a test, one of many

he has prescribed for you a woman an

elderly woman with an irregular heart

condition. His wan and worn image

stays with you and when the telephone

rings and his office informs you that

your cardiologist will be 'away' for

three months leaving others to care for 

 his patients while he recovers from

surgery you are not surprised that his

cardiologist has sent him to a cardiac

surgeon to undergo open heart surgery.

 

The Human Construct

 

There can be no doubt about the reality of 

existence for it is fraught with perils that must

be faced and somehow overcome lest tragedy

overtake those unable or unwilling to fend 

for themselves in preventing through whatever

means necessary voiding their lives through 

inaction and lack of caution. Those whom fate 

has placed in backward tribal-infested countries 

where culture is replete with suspicion, hatred

and violence are never at a lack to find others 

lower on the scale of survival probabilities 

than themselves, working through their fears

and frustrations by persecuting those less able

to mount defences. In socially and economically

advanced culture where laws are enacted to

ensure that social justice protects everyone the

pathology of hate seeks the shelter of anonymity

slithering its presence into dark recesses of 

the mind and public social order is maintained. 

The advent of communication on a global scale 

unimpeded by distance and cost has unleashed

the primitive in those whose tribal roots remain 

deeply embedded enabling sinister communion 

in the brotherhood of ethnic, racist, tribal venom

emboldening with its assurance of the presence

of shared vitriol that sheer numbers alongside 

the certitude of superiority qualifies them to 

creep out of the shadows resurrecting their 

mantra of racist-inspired leadership under which

the unter-mensch grovel to plead for their lives 

forfeited to the conquest of the uber-mensch. 

 

 

Snow's Dominance

 

Mid-day and yet twilight prevails despite

our surroundings scintillating minute sparks

of colour emitted from the soft contours of

fresh snow newly fallen ... and falling ...

and falling ... throughout the dark hours of

the night and in the daylight hours of the

morning to accumulate muffling the sounds 

of hidden life in the forest, despite the

crowns of deciduous forest trees denuded

in preparation for winter inviting sound

to penetrate. Our footfalls on the forest

trail are muted, the snow not yet crusted

with ice, and our small dogs, jet black

against prevailing white as snow continues

its lazy spirals from the pewter sky

gamboling before us in an excess of

pleasure at the changed landscape and

its accompanying texture that moves them

to a transport of delight, provide in their

presence a counterpoint of distinction

the silent and motionless forest embracing

our presence, the woodland canopy a roof

porous enough to permit snow entry to

complete its all-encompassing mission to

place the natural world in sleep as nature's

elements of winter's stern reign prevail.

The landscape transformed into a still-life

distinguished by obliterated shades leaving

black, grey and pristine white to dominate.

 

 

Home Invasion

 

Suddenly they were there, in our house

looming over us, burly and brusque

rough in appearance and intimidating

armed with hammers, drills, knives

their presence engulfing our sense of

privacy. Their grit-booted footfalls

spreading dirt on our floors, their

intentional gesture, leaving wide

open our sliding patio doors on a

sub-zero day, snow falling relentlessly

the wretched wind careening into the

open gap bringing the chill of winter

with it as snow swirled within and we

instantly felt our vulnerability yet were

powerless to fend off the cold much

less the actions of these strangers.

Their speech accented, informing us

one from Siberia the other from Poland

their intention to impact our lives as

they set about destroying the frame

holding the doors in place for full

exposure to the raging elements. They

worked like demons those intruders

coordinating their efforts as professional

installers, removing the sliders whose

functionality was depleted, replacing

them with new ones. Hard work that

took the experienced crew of two no

fewer than five hours of steady work

as we plied them with coffee and

cupcakes, cookies and genuine gratitude.

 

 

They Know

 

We had no need to consult the bible of 

doggy intelligence to infer that our sibling 

poodles rank high in that rating scale for

over the years they have given us ample 

demonstrations proving the level of their 

fine cerebral functioning. As for example 

their sensitivity to our sensibilities permitting 

us the fiction of feeling ourselves masters in

our own home. Their feeling of protective 

obligation to we two humans whose failings

are all too evident to them is more than

evidenced in their careful scrutiny of all 

who enter our home accompanied by a 

sharp chorus of barked instructions to stand

back. Although we fail their expectations 

with our lack of care for them by expecting

them to consume food fit for dogs they know 

better, holding out for the food we place on 

the table for ourselves depriving them the

opportunity to test its safety. The impression

we fondly maintain that they are safe and 

secure in our hands has led to their concern

over our well-being as they vet objects they

suspect of planning us harm and hasten to 

disarm them, leaving every zipper on any

piece of clothing a ruin and thus unable to 

wreak pain upon us. Whatever would we do

in the absence of their vigilant presence and

undoubted protection of we lesser creatures?

 

 

Civilization

 

To be civil is to be thoughtful and

concerned not only with one's own

welfare but that of others for if others

suffer privation and without order and

security would view your better state

with envy what is to stop them from

committing uncivil violence against you

in their own greater interest of sharing

what you own and would not share?

The state of civilization owes much to

the construct of a deity for nothing

inspires respect and fear so much as

does the prospect of an all-powerful

entity displeased with one's behaviour

capable of striking a fatal blow at a mere 

glance.... As the interlocutor of the 

all-powerful reminds humble constituents

the faithful must adhere to the Almighty's

precepts of civilized behaviour; to be

meek and humble, give praise to their

creator and strive for peace among

their fellows. The compact fails when

humanity stumbles on the impediments

that their creator has endowed them

with and when their creator's design

failed to take into account its flaws

so that all are culpable, the creator and

the inadequately blueprinted-created.