an insistent wind surging in from the coast
blown from kujira, past the verdant islands
and through the trees, over my neck and shoulders..

I am given a ring, simple in design
with a stone that glows blue in the shadows..
the virgins in white fight their way
through the masses of muddy women,
up the mountain path.
those who make it to the top
pristine and unsullied
float down the river on rafts-
laughing and smiling at their good luck,
their hands folded in attitudes of prayer
while on the banks filthy idiot peasant men
gape at them as they pass.
of all these infant cinderellas
only one shall be left,
only one shall be taken.
we make it to the last place,
where we must wait on the beach-
a square patch of sand the chosen girl
pounds into smooth white stone
with her pacing,
until they come to collect her.
but i can’t wait here any longer
and start walking fast through red lights
the streets empty, the concrete buckled and cracked..
keep walking until i find the box on the sidewalk-
an old tea-tin, belonging to the ancient eunuch.
it is filled with many small teeth,
each wrapped individually-
they are made of peppermint candy
and used for divination.
i wake.

it is night, and i am alone
though i have here a very nice coteaux du languedoc
from the ermitage du pic st. loup
meringues and dates and valfrais
and der blutharsch and gummi bearchen
all kindly bestowed by mme. sainte-francis
during her easter visit,
so truly, i am well stocked
for a quiet evening at home..
which leaves me to posit a request;
recently, we were given an incredible opportunity-
the equipment and means
to create a short film of our own devising,
12 minutes long, in three segments.
a plot was spun, synopsis written
the actors chosen,
which brings us to our dilemna-
as another blazing southern summer looms
many of those with any sense of self-preservation
escape this city in droves to more temperate zones..
including, most of our stars and starlets..
without them, the story we had in mind is unthinkable-
leaving us back at the beginning.
one would think that in the heaps of possibilites,
something sufficient would occur to us-
but alas, no.
after this afternoon’s brainstorming session,
we are still unsatisfied- back to the drawing board.
it’s clear that everthing needs to be pared down
to bare essentials- a minimum of actors,
but as for locales, in this city we’ll not
be at a lack for exotic and striking places to film it..
the question is..
what?
what film would you like to see us make?
(within reason)
your suggestions would be appreciated muchly,
as the slate’s been wiped clean due to circumstance and overwork..
spark me, pique me, jostle my memory
o my muses..