Saturday, June 23, 2007

His heaven was formed entirely out of plastic. He poured the substance from an oil can, molded and patted the molten mass, until it hardened into diffuseness the color of fleece. He stood back and saw that it was good. Then he exhaled shadows and light which flew over the surface in a kaleidoscopic dance, raging and flowing like seas at high tide. When he cast his stare towards the finite walls of his holy realm he found they had merged with infinity. If it were possible to fall he could have done so perpetually, never leaving the universe that contained him. But he did not ponder this. He sat cross-legged in the center of his creativity and waited.

He saw that he was alone and it displeased him. He patterned angels out of the nothingness. They formed before him, aesthetic outlines clothed in a costume of fine alabaster thread softer than silk, if it were possible to touch. The angels wore skates which bore them through the unwalled realm. They moved with a steady grace transcending the physics of motion, like falcons in an endless glide never needing to flex their wings. As they passed his field of vision he admired their details which lingered in an afterimage quickly filled by the next of the heavenly forms.

Behind them fluttered a cloth, transparent red, created by the meeting of shadows and light. With a dexterous flip of the wrist the passing angel let loose of the cloth. It hurdled net-like, closer, upon him, invisible as it wrapped his body. The cloth vanished into his skin just as the heaven's walls had merged with a blurred infinity, or as a single snowflake vanishes in warmth. With each new layer he felt his thoughts wander ever further beyond the steady hand of controlled thought. And soon he drifted into sleep.

This was his last resort since counting sheep had lost its effect.

Story #394

This photo appears by the kind courtesy of a fascinating young visual and photographic artist called Cylixe. You may view her video collages at Youtube, or her photography at Flickr. I think you'll see why I was so fascinated by her art. The black and white photographs are poetry for the eye, which is not to say that her color photos are anything less. Please visit her galleries and tell her what you think. And Thanks to everyone who contributed a comment or story here.

June 23rd: If you've clicked in via blogger's "Blogs of Note" - welcome! And thanks Blogger, for this honor! What a stunning surprise it was to notice all the sudden traffic. This blog has been around since 2004 - but lately my posts have not been so frequent. To get a feel for the idea of spontaneous stories written to found photos, I invite you to try the "Random Story" link under that awful profile photo to your right in the sidebar.

Note: One of my short stories has been translated into Spanish at the E-zine Ediciones Efimeras (# 112). Click the green icon and look for the story entitled "Mecánico"

38 comments:

Hobbes said...

Early on something told American Girl that this Good Guys gig would never work out. Capes and roller skates just weren't meant to mix.
Finally she got her cape on her back and a bandage on her knee and made her way out to the car. "Welcome to Good Guys," she said, not quite able to manage her usual sprightly superhero tone. "What'll it be?"
The portly cop looked at his list. "Make mine a Supersizer. We got imminent environmental disaster, suspected terrorist activity at the airport, the usual gridlock in Washington, and a spate of suicide bombings in the Middle East. Can you remember all that, cutie?"
American Girl used her superstrength to keep her smile in place. "Of course. And your partner?"
"Oh," said the cop in the passenger seat, leaning forward. "Nothing heavy for me. Just a jewelry heist downtown with a meth lab chaser."
"Right," said American Girl, jotting it all down. "So that's one Supersize Global Disaster Special and one Urban Sludge. You want flying with that?"

Anonymous said...

Enjoy Barcelona.

Anonymous said...

suddenly the tube is bathed in a blinding white light, and i see ahead of me the floor starting to curve away. to my horror, i realise there's nothing but an abyss beyond. my only hope is the cape. i give the skates a push to gain speed as the slope increases and quickly unleash the fabric, the wind in my face gathering strength. i should be closing my eyes because i can't see what's on the other side. it's just a void, but i can't look away. the wheels spinning on air, the cape lifts me to the other side.

i now know that i am more than a strobe in time, a blink, a random wing on wheels.

Anonymous said...

I liked "The Day it Started," and the photo is beautiful.

The OE said...

As superman put on her cape we are reminded that not only does she move faster than a speeding set of rollerskates, her artistic flow is what sets her apart from other would be superheros.

Anonymous said...

O. k., now I went to look at her Flickr photos. She has a wonderful style. A lot of them capture motion really well.

Diane Dehler said...

Good find, Indy. Her black and white photos are very interesting and different.

Cie Cheesemeister said...

"Crap!" said Kim the Krusher. "I've gotten this stupid cape stuck on my arms and here comes Quannah the Roller Derby Queen right on cue! I'm going to get creamed--I can just feel the bruises forming on my body now!"

Sorry I've been absent, not that anybody missed me. I've been working on finishing publication of the book and my new e commerce projects and couldn't think of anything for the photos. Strangely getting the book published has depressed me rather than envigorated me. Go figure--I'm such a backasswards so and so sometimes!

Russell CJ Duffy said...

i took a look and yep, you are right, fantastic images.

Doug The Una said...

"A superhero's work is never done. I honestly thought the roller-skates would help."

Anonymous said...

hey people,
this is cylixe. i thank you for all the compliments, if you want, you can leave comments at the photographys and videoclips aswell.

curios awaiting more short stories

c y l i x e

Hobbes said...

I liked yours, Letters. Exciting and poetic at the same time.

ancient clown said...

Blessings:

Just visiting. Cool site.
your humble servant,
ancient clown

amy said...

really interesting idea... really beautiful work.

giRlreThought. said...

stopping through. i enjoy your blog.

Anonymous said...

Interesting post! Good luck with everything.
www.smokeveil.blogspot.com

Chin Shih Tang said...

No offense, but more than the photographer, you've got to give the info on the woman who's the subject. Beautiful!

Speaking of "synchronicity", for a review of The Police concert in Phoenix, this week, try chinshihtang@blogspot.com

Missy said...

Oh I need some rollerskates. I already have a cape.

Indeterminacy said...

Ancient Clown: Thank you for visiting.

Amy: Thank you also for stopping by - it is a lovely photo, isn't it?

Girlrethought: Thank you too - don't be a stranger!

Hypnosis: I looked at your profile and see you're a Mark Twain fan. Living overseas I somehow drifted back to the roots of American literature. Just finished reading "A Tramp Abroad".

Chin Shih Tang: I usually never say anything about the photo (because usually I know nothing about it or the people in it). In this case, I really don't know anything about the model. Maybe Cylixe will tell you?

Missy: So you can fly, but you can't land. You have a nice blog, by the way. Your digital sketches are fun.

Hello from Julia said...

Beautiful photo. Thanks for the Spanish link. I need to practise. Great blog!

Oberon said...

......fabulous.

......i'm changing the world.....

lettuce prey four whirled peas
on blogspot.com

...........you can too...........

April's Place said...

Your blog is great.

Diane Dehler said...

Indy,
Congratulations on being named a Blog of Note. You have a really unique and well developed concept and are most deserving. Hope all if well with you these summer days.

Irene Grumman said...

This beautiful Catalan studied ballet and dreamed of being a ballerina. As she matured, her figure rounded, especially her lovely breasts. She could not attain the starved-down look required by major ballet companies. Defiantly, young Blanca now dances on roller skates, adding power, speed, and distance to her original choreography. The veil work shown here recalls Moorish themes. The bent body illustrates the struggle of the Catalans to maintain their culture and history. The roller skates and short skirt affirm innovation and modernity. Blanca performs at festivals and teaches roller dance.

Anonymous said...

The choir filed onstage. They began to sign an old song, one the choir had sung for generations, and suddenly, she just had to dance.


ha ha it's short but it's sweet. Have fun on your trip!

P.S. Check out my European Immigration blog! It was a presentation for a project I had to do for school, but your welcome to read it.

High Power Rocketry said...

: )

no more said...

Love her photos!

Anonymous said...

Soy el escritor más audaz para el lector más inteligente, asi que hasta que no me entere de que va la cosa me limitaré a invitar a todo el mundo a visitar mi web donde se porán hacer una idea de mis inquietudes literarias, gracias a todos.---http://www.antoniolarrosa.com

tsduff said...

Very cool to see you in the Blogs of Note... congrats!

Anonymous said...

This makes me think of flying. Skate to a good speed, spread your cape and shoot off... flutter down, spiral and drift like a leaf on the breeze... and then land and go do it again. If only you could really do it... could you?

Cool_Freeze said...

pictures are some of the greatest story inspirations out there and this one is nooo exception.

awesome art!

CF

Indeterminacy said...

Now comes the part I like best - reading all the stories everyone else contributred - those of you knew to Indeterminacy, I never read the stories until after mine is written. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to write anything if I read what other people's impressions of the image were.

Hobbes: I loved reading your story, and especially enjoyed the line "American Girl used her superstrength to keep her smile in place" I think the world would be a better place if we started fighting for truth, justice and the American way again.

Letters: Your story was quite a flight. I felt it quite a breathtaking description of taking off and flying.

The OE: Absolutely! My favorite thoughts are those summed up in the least words. I've somehow lost the ability to do that. But I see there's no nede to fear with The OE around.

Cheesemeister: Great to hear about the progress on you book! Maybe one day I will be published too. That's a nice dream. I wouldn't mind being bruised by Quannah, not that I'm into that sort of thing ;-)

Doug: You really break the sound barrier when it comes to compactness. I love it.

Julia: Ediciones Efimeras is a great e-zine. It's edited by Santiago Eximeno, a well-known Spanish language science fiction, horror, fantasy author Santiago Eximeno. I wish I could read him in the original.

Oberon: I think I would have to eat a lot of meat before changing the world. Peas and lettuce won't do it ;-) But I'll stop by and check your stie. Thanks for commenting.

Aprils: Thank you very much. I'm happy you found something you like.

Princess Haiku: I'm trying not to think about being in the blog of note list. I don't want tog et stage fright!

Irene: Thank you for your lovely impressions of the photo. It was very sensual to read. I take it you have a Catalanian connection. These days I'm sometimes in Barcelona, and thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere of that magical place.

Laura: It's short, but very sweet. Thank you for sharing. I'll stop by your site and see if I've done my immigrating the best way!

R2K: :))

Muse: I love them too - thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Antonio: Wish I could read your stories. Interestingly enough, one of my favorite authors is Jorge Luis Borges, but I have only read him in English translation. Maybe someday...

TS Duff: Thank you.

Talespin: Wouldn't it be great? I think we could fly if we just believed we could. Like Douglas Adams wrote it in one of his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy volumes.

Cool Freeze: I'm very happy I stumbled upon Cylixe's art.

arlene persaud said...

yes, what an intriguing photo...

Anonymous said...

i especially like the ending its a twisted version of it was only a dream. its actually the other way round. good work, indie.
c y l i x e

Indeterminacy said...

A.S. Persaud: Yes, I absolutely agree!

Cylixe: Thank you! It makes my day to know the story pleased you. Also interesting to hear your interpretation, which does describe the story exactly, though I hadn't consciously thought of that parallel while writing it.

Most of Martha Woodroof in one place said...

I'm new-- both to blogging and to you. This is what I call real, brain-twisting, creativity-spewing fun! So, when's the next photo??

Indeterminacy said...

Bouncing: I'm happy you like the idea. The next photo is coming up very soon! I'm trying to pick one out at the moment...

Indeterminacy said...

Reposting this under the accompanying picture:

A.R. Linder said...
One minute story on the photo with the skater:

And far as the eye of God could see
Darkness covered everything,
Blacker than a hundred midnights
Down in a cypress swamp.

Then God smiled,
And the light broke,
And the darkness rolled up on one side,
And the light stood shining on the other,
And God said, "That's a good skater!"

As I read your story, I thought it had a James Weldon Johnson ring to it. So it must have been pretty good. Keep up the good work! Challenge the minds of your young folks at YouthPlay.org,