The Bazaar 1/29/02
entering a wide archway
he becomes lost
suddenly his senses are filled
blaring discordant noise
different groups play different music
smell hotdogs, turn head smell foreign sauce
turned his head again and a rotten egg
bright lights all around, some flashing
sales, tents, booths, contests, games
loud voices
"Would you like to buy some candy?"
"Throw this and win a prize!"
"Would you like your fortune told?"
lean on the tent post and it bends like string
fall inside
fortune teller says, "pick one"
before him several identical ice cream cones
first one is too heavy to lift
second one is warm and not melting
third is dry like sand
suddenly very thirsty
fortune teller picks a cone, licks, and enjoys
fortune teller says, "someday you will die,
"Doesn’t the sun shine on only some?"
hastily escape the fortune teller
got to find water
at a drink stand menu reads:
soda, tea, coffee, milk, lemonade
he asks for some water
"sorry, we have no water here"
how can you have no water?
look at the people here
this one has three legs, that one has his head on upside-down
this one has eleven fingers –on one hand
that one has hands out of his head and hair from his arms
taste dust that three-legged man kicks up
got to find water
in the distance behind
fog, steam, tents, ads, and the people here
he spots a well
head in that direction
smoke in my eyes
people get in the way
voices get louder
"Buy this toy! Keep a souvineer!"
"Ride this ride!" "Play this game!"
last comes as a scream,
"Win a teddy bear!"
suddenly face to face
with one who has no face
no features, no hair, no expression
over its shoulder, he glimpses the fountain
but he cannot go around
so he speaks to the figure
"Who are you?" ..faceless figure doesn’t respond
"Do you know who you are?" ..faceless figure blinks
that is eyelids flash and are gone
so blank,
hard to believe they were there
"There’s a well behind you,
have you tasted its water?"
figure turns its head, it makes a noise
a choke
makes space and he walks past
draws from the well
such a thirst satisfied
water lets him see clearly
figure has breath, blood and voice
and no heartbeat
heart-dead
turn to the faceless one
"Would you like a drink?"
flash of cardboard tounge
the figure comes near
faceless figures cups its hands but can’t hold water
violent gasp of frustration from the faceless one
reveals dusty tounge, bulging eyes, arms reaching
he reaches for the water
hands carry water to the figure’s mouth
skin begins to appear, he can see its features
this figure is a man with a name
the two of them look back at the bazaar
true forms now visible
of the three legged man, the man with head upside-down
the man with eleven fingers on a hand
the man with wrist hair and hands from his head
in sadness they see
hundreds of faceless figures walking around aimlessly
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