The One – #10: City Secundus – Segment 4

The main character is dreaming again. Water is a relentless theme in this narrative, and so it is in this segment of Song 10.

Here is the fourth segment of Song 10:

Argose lies down beside me and I dream . . .

Diving deep and soundless, the sea’s weight 

presses on me like a massive stone

Hand over hand I grasp the anchor line

             down to the gray sea’s floor, the steel-linked rode

                        a forged weight sunk entirely in dim cold

At hull-crushing depth, I find the anchor

            a three-fingered hand clutching, dragging mud

My ship’s keel, suspended pale, floats above

Her rigging stands still under crypt-quiet air

at anchor, tethered under folded sail

My descent continues beneath sea floor

            I claw sea-sand as I dive down and down

            waves of the seabed – each crest solid ground

No compass point to begin the true tack

            sea-press on my chest

            sea-weight on my back

The blur of this sea-river’s shapes emerge

            waving long necks and slack mouths in the gloom 

But as I swim closer, it becomes clear – 

This is one body with three hideous heads

They all have long-haired strands trailing from beards

The blur of this sea-river’s shapes emerge

            waving long necks and slack mouths in the gloom 

But as I swim closer, it becomes clear – 

This is one body with three hideous heads

They all have long-haired strands trailing from beards

From one mouth a forked tongue hisses toward me

 “You are not safe

            don’t think

                        to be

Safety 

            is not for the likes

                        of thee

You have chosen

            a higher

path

that leads           

            deep into life that

                        does not last

Resolve

            as we do to live

                        just so

                                    

below eyes

            in solitude with your

                        kind

With that said, the gargantuan body

            walks heavily off into the sea’s shade

            three heads waving, chanting a glorious song

I stroke back to the grave- entrenched anchor

            sit cross-legged beside it, considering 

                        a three-headed message

            that I will surface bringing to light

But what to do with this that seems right?

Deep in dark waters

            anchored at sea

                        a singular journey -- a journey to me

Three thousand years of sailing for more

                        cradled in waves -- each crest a shore

            

With that, I fall to my side on Argose

            who snuffles awake pulling himself

                        from under my weight that pins him to ground

As I push myself up, the smell of dragon

            hangs near, pungent and true, from six nostrils 

                        investigating this creature that’s me

I know I’ve been with them, no matter how strange

            and for this encounter, I’m not the same

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My dog friend and I get up to our feet

            somewhat the better for the restless sleep

We follow our noses out to the street

            where we trudge along in hopes we will meet

                        a kind one who stops and sees our odd plight

                                    and who’s at least willing to help us find

                                    a place to sit down and have a warm meal

                                                but soon it is clear this is not to be

                                                and on our own we’ll see what we see

I choose the first dark tavern I come to

It smells of smoke and grease and something else

I take a seat at a corner table

where I observe the rectangular bar

an ancient altar raised in the center 

At the bar’s back left, two white-haired women

smoke hand-rolled cigarettes between fingers

One is sobbing and speaking angrily 

while the other woman nods agreement

A big-bellied bartender leans sideways 

against the bar’s inside edge, politely

listening to an intoxicated man.

On the wall, hangs a short list of hot meals

A thin young woman comes to my table

Dark hollows beneath her eyes stain her face

She asks me what meal I want – what to drink

The bartender clears out his throat loudly.  

The woman turns and nods to him, then says,

“Please, my boss wants to see your money first.”  

Her voice sounds tired and a little nervous.  

“Sure,” I say, “but why?” I show my money.  

“Do I look dishonest? Is it my dog?

I’ve never been mistrusted on first sight.  

What about me makes him so suspicious?”

She looks over my head to the wet street. 

“The dog is all right. No problem with it.

It’s a big town and drifters sometimes leave 

and ‘forget’ to pay their bill and cheat us”

“Do I look like a drifter to you then?” 

I say this lightly hinting at a smile 

but looking directly into her eyes.

“Well, yes.  You do.” she answers cautiously

Then she adds quickly, “but you’ve shown your coin 

so now the owner will be satisfied.”  

I shrug and tell her what I want.  She nods once 

hurries off obviously glad to go

What does she see in me that I do not?  

It occurs to me I’ve not seen myself 

except shadows and river-reflections

that stared back from the mirror’s rippling face.  

Now I am more than a little curious.

I stand and walk slowly around the room.  

I locate a mirror in an alcove 

I stand sideways to it and turn my head 

to stare at my own face – it’s much the same

but an odd, older stranger peers at me

No wonder the woman saw a drifter

My faded shirt wears tightly on my chest

My hair hangs long and uncombed. The cloth band

            I used to keep hair off my face barely

            restrains the nasty, tangled, sun-bleached mess.  

My eyes focused, hot-white points set in black pools 

like an unblinking reptile in dark waters 

watching for lurking enemies and prey.  

I decide I like this dangerous look 

but I smooth back my hair, run my fingers 

through it, and bind it as best I can

I return to my table, aware now 

what my eyes say that before they did not

 I feel young and strong and a little threatening

I know Hart would agree.

Background

This second city brings up more thoughts about strange places and lengthy travels, of being looked on as a suspicious stranger. Walking into new cities and situations does make one more adaptable, watchful, and wary – more aware in general. That’s the good news. Those who are less flexible and resilient find such new situations terrifying. Again, the background to this part of the narrative comes from my own traveling years. As a single woman, I had to especially wary and cautious. Every moment might bring danger, or at least surprise.

Interestingly, Hart’s name comes up at the end of this segment. Travels have a way of surfacing memories, especially about people once dear. Makes one wonder what the MC is considering about Hart – perhaps a lightness is emerging around Hart’s memory. I recall that when I was out and about during my corporate years, I often remembered my former husband with whom more than a little “friction” was present. Still, in those days of near solitude (clients don’t count; can’t get too close, says the “bosses”), remembrances of him grew warm and compassionate. Strange, the things travel can do.

In any case, the protagonist is now deep enough into the wanderings that they are becoming a way of living.

Exploration 1: What is the meaning of the dream that begins this segment? Specifically, why does the MC dream about water so much? Remember, with dreams there is no right answer, only personal interpretations.

Exploration 2: It would appear that the MC is in a ragged and unwashed state. How did that come about? What do you think of the profile of this character now that a transformation has occurred?

Exploration 3: Any chance you have figured out the time period this story takes place?