89

Neglect In Camera

It is another obscure chamber. The town is trapped in light and shade, and limited to the back wall of the shop. The glasses man and his parrot inhabit an intermediate dimension.

The parrot knows the names of things. Roskyn, he says. Then, shag, cendal, gazzatum, dobby, fleece. An ignorance of grammar does not allow his speech to accumulate meaning. His master draughts the projected image on his scrim. Things he knows, but not their names.

They make an odd pair, this glasses man and his pet. When the bird dies, his master will have him stuffed, he loves him so. Already selected is the corner in which he will perch, steadfast. The figures moving through the inverted silver town are averaged into a poised stasis. They represent the citizens as the bird represents the tropics.

Later, the glasses man will attend with oils to the precise textures of cloth, of hair, of milk pouring, a needle penetrating lace, sunlight on pearl, on skin. His nails are dark from years of grinding colours. His eyes are dark from years. His skin? Gossamer!

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96

very dark very
   still just water
      discreetly
slipping into
   the pan where
      images
mysteriously
   emerge from within
      a wet
white sheet
   of paper
      no sound but
for the timid
   water active
      silence