Drafts of “The Phoenix: Part 1 – The Arrival”
2020-10-05 21:40
# The Phoenix Part 1: The Arrival
“You said we’d be first,” said Alan getting out of the car.
“No I didn’t,” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie just shrugged, as if to say “Here we are”,
but did so with a tic in one eye.
The car was reliable, with the one caveat
that you didn’t want to go anywhere.
It had been far and wide, and whatever you tried
would usually result in despair.
They’d tried zen mechanics. They’d tried mustard and cress.
They’d tried Frankincense and Feng Shui.
But the only approach with the slightest success
was letting it have its own way.
Guided by ley lines, they could not dispute
that “scenic” was hardly the word.
In diminishing circles, they had taken a route
abundantly, absolutely absurd.
They never had witnessed a real live phoenix
so sent their vehicular share
in a motoring helix around the E116
approximating Weston-super-Mare.
The internet was a boon; they had set off as soon
as the news had come over the wire.
Skipping their breakfast. But only near noon
had they stopped to the smell of burnt tires.
Yet still they had found crowds milling around,
and the reason wasn’t any great mystery;
a couple of coppers had access locked down
to Weston’s Museum of Unnatural History.
A more suitable location would be difficult to find.
This place was clearly the best,
thus Alan, and Brian, and even Charlie opined,
for the Phoenix to establish a nest.
Brian was fumbling with his binocular case,
he was struggling to open the clasp,
when the phoenix returned, landing with grace
and the onlookers let out a gasp.
Its movements, though elegant, were surprisingly slow.
Its colours more ashen than bold.
You didn’t have to be an ornithologist to know
that the phoenix was getting too old.
In its beak it had gripped some coal and it dipped
its head to lay it down neat
among firelighters, alcohol, and a thick manuscript,
and even some desiccated peat.
It’s nest was a danger that could only compare,
in safety, to a firebug’s home.
Now ‘safe’ in it’s manger, it settled and glared
at the hipster ascending the dome.
The hipster was mumbling, and frequently stumbling;
tending to trip over his beard.
But apparently his grumbling and ponderous bumbling
was making the phoenix afeared.
Upon reaching the apex, he paused, flapping shirt checks.
(A by-product of too many craft beers.)
Then brought up a device in front of his specs
realising everyone’s worst fears.
An influencer, an unshaven social media maven
(in his own head anyways)
he _needed_ a selfie with this bird’s final haven
before it went up in a blaze.
Perpetually towering, over the phoenix’s cowering.
Snapping the bird he had trapped.
Steady soul devouring while flashes were flowering
until the phoenix eventually snapped.
It extended its neck and essayed a peck,
more from desperation than hope
The hipster was checked. Ensuring his phone wasn’t wrecked
he slipped, and slid down the slope.
Scrabbling, flailing, and failing to construct a
suitable bon mot in French
He was railing and wailing, when a lightning conductor
brought him to a stop with a wrench.
It was a mishap that’d make a Yatagarasu wince.
He’d use his selfie stick nevermore.
Going forward he’d now forever more mince
his words online to be sure.
Alan’s position was that karma had worked
“Don’t be cruel.” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie raised his hand to hide that he’d smirked
but did so with a tic in one eye.
Exciting though this was, Alan turned his head
at a noise that occurred to their rear
Once more, Alan spoke for most when he said
“Oh no. What are they doing here?”
———————————-
2020-09-21 21 21:47
# The Phoenix Part 1: The Arrival
Phoenix – six, pics, fix, sticks, helix, onyx, acrobatics, crucifix,
spondulicks, (sub)tropics, matrix, mathematics,
Alan, Brian & Charlie arrive. WSM – B3346: Worle High St-Milton?, E116:
Birmingham to Plymouth
## Other Birds
1: Yatagarasu – falling down the dome the influencer encounters/is saved by an
aerial, but inflicted with an injury (breaks his selfie stick) that would make
a yatagarasu wince
2: Eagle/Caladrius – Alan or Brian interview with a much-misunderstood, high-
numbered “Birds” channel. Eagle pecked out appendix, but regrew on
encountering a Caladrius
3: Bluebird – egg thief dressed in clothes that look like Mister Bluebird has
frequently been on his shoulder and rarely missed.
4: Phoenix struggling to fly. Almost as bad as when A, B & C once walked among
Pinguinus Giganticus in Florida.
5:harpy – public gallery raised. A, B, or C scared of heights and reminded of
rappelling down a cliff to snatch a quick view of a harpy.
6: Caladrius – optimism resurrected like the caladrius’ effect on their car
7: Griffin – Frequent car problems once ‘pull started’ by a griffin, but this
time pulled along by the crowd while they ride on the roof.
8: Cockatris – Crowd watching screens, still as if turned to stone.
An old, slow, rather dull, Phoenix arrives back at its almost completed nest
(made with inflammatory materials) ready to die. On top of the Museum of
Unnatural History
Crowds are forming.
Somebody up on the roof attempting to get a selfie with the phoenix? Phoenix
is waiting for them to leave before landing. Somewhere around the 85th shot,
looking for the perfect social media fodder, it loses patience. The budding
influencer tumbles down the dome, prevented from falling by a convenient
lightning conductor, although he does break his ‘selfie stick’ in an accident
that would make a yatagarasu wince
—–
“You said we’d be first,” said Alan getting out of the car.
“No I didn’t,” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie just shrugged as if to say “Here we are”
but did so with a tic in one eye.
The car was reliable, with the one caveat
that you didn’t want to go anywhere.
It had been far and wide, and whatever you tried
would usually result in despair.
They’d tried zen mechanics. They’d tried mustard and cress.
They’d tried Frankincense and Feng Shui.
But the only approach with the slightest success
was letting it have its own way.
Guided by ley lines, they could not dispute
that “scenic” was hardly the word.
In diminishing circles, they had taken a route
abundantly, absolutely absurd.
They never had witnessed a real live phoenix
so sent their vehicular share
in a motoring helix around the E116
approximating Weston-super-Mare.
The internet was a boon; they had set off as soon
as the news had come over the wire.
Skipping their breakfast. And now nearing noon
they stopped to the smell of burnt tires.
Yet still they had found crowds milling around,
and the reason wasn’t any great mystery;
a couple of coppers had access locked down
to Weston’s Museum of Unnatural History.
A more suitable location would be difficult to find.
This place was clearly the best,
thus Alan, and Brian, and even Charlie opined,
for the Phoenix to establish a nest.
Brian was fumbling with his binocular case,
he was struggling to open the clasp,
when the phoenix returned, landing with grace
and the onlookers let out a gasp.
Its movements, though elegant, were surprisingly slow.
Its colours more ashen than bold.
You didn’t have to be an ornithologist to know
that the phoenix was getting too old.
It landed on the dome gripping a large lump of coal
which in its nest it carefully laid
among the paper, firelighters, and bottles of alcohol
in this fire trap of a nest it had made.
When it had finished arranging it looked up to see
a dishevelled type risking its ire.
This hawker was clutching a bill that he wanted to be
publicised in the phoenix’s pyre.
The phoenix reared up and spread out its wings.
It attacked, looking clearly irate.
But its talons just bounced off his chains and rings
leaving them in a classic stalemate.
The pair of them circled in their antagonistic dance
while the onlookers felt compelled
to raise up their binoculars and exploit this chance
to examine the leaflet he held.
They looked at the flyer during this rooftop ballet
it was dominated by a comely wench.
Alan spoke for many for he was moved to say
“I don’t believe she even speaks French.”
“Oh I don’t know. I’m sure she must have worked
at least on her letters.” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie raised his hand to hide the fact that he’d smirked
but did so with a tic in one eye.
Spotting an opening the tout dived and plunged
the advert into the nest on the sly.
But this brought him close to the Phoenix who lunged
and pecked him upon his third eye.
The huckster dropped, rolled, the gutter rapidly drew
closer till he was stopped by a mast
in a painful manner such that everyone now knew
his business perks were a thing of the past.
Exciting though this was Alan turned his head
because he heard something else appear.
Once more, Alan spoke for most when he said
“Oh no. What are they doing here.”
———————————-
2020-09-14 21:47
# The Phoenix Part 1: The Arrival
Phoenix – six, pics, fix, sticks, helix, onyx, acrobatics, crucifix,
spondulicks, (sub)tropics, matrix, mathematics,
Alan, Brian & Charlie arrive. WSM – B3346: Worle High St-Milton?, E116:
Birmingham to Plymouth
## Other Birds
1: Yatagarasu – falling down the dome the influencer encounters/is saved by an
aerial, but inflicted with an injury (breaks his selfie stick) that would make
a yatagarasu wince
2: Eagle/Caladrius – Alan or Brian interview with a much-misunderstood, high-
numbered “Birds” channel. Eagle pecked out appendix, but regrew on
encountering a Caladrius
3: Bluebird – egg thief dressed in clothes that look like Mister Bluebird has
frequently been on his shoulder and rarely missed.
4: Phoenix struggling to fly. Almost as bad as when A, B & C once walked among
Pinguinus Giganticus in Florida.
5:harpy – public gallery raised. A, B, or C scared of heights and reminded of
rappelling down a cliff to snatch a quick view of a harpy.
6: Caladrius – optimism resurrected like the caladrius’ effect on their car
7: Griffin – Frequent car problems once ‘pull started’ by a griffin, but this
time pulled along by the crowd while they ride on the roof.
8: Cockatris – Crowd watching screens, still as if turned to stone.
An old, slow, rather dull, Phoenix arrives back at its almost completed nest
(made with inflammatory materials) ready to die. On top of the Museum of
Unnatural History
Crowds are forming.
Somebody up on the roof attempting to get a selfie with the phoenix? Phoenix
is waiting for them to leave before landing. Somewhere around the 85th shot,
looking for the perfect social media fodder, it loses patience. The budding
influencer tumbles down the dome, prevented from falling by a convenient
lightning conductor, although he does break his ‘selfie stick’ in an accident
that would make a yatagarasu wince
—–
“You said we’d be first,” said Alan getting out of the car.
“No I didn’t,” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie just shrugged as if to say “Here we are”
but did so with a tic in one eye.
The car was reliable, with the one caveat
that you didn’t want to go anywhere.
It had been far and wide, and whatever you tried
would usually result in despair.
They’d tried zen mechanics. They’d tried mustard and cress.
They’d tried Frankincense and Feng Shui.
But the only approach with the slightest success
was letting it have its own way.
Guided by ley lines and old monuments
“scenic” was hardly the word.
bewilderment???
??? was absolutely absurd
They had been on the trail of a roc when the call
had come in via Alan’s new pager.
They jumped in Brian’s car (which he managed to stall)
and, after a few stops, here they were.
Most of those here they could already address by name.
They were chiefly from the same coterie.
Yet a couple of policemen were blocking off all the same
the Museum of Unnatural History.
A more suitable location it would be hard to find.
This place was clearly the best,
thus Alan, and Brian, and even Charlie opined,
for the Phoenix to construct its nest.
Brian was fumbling with his binocular case,
he was struggling to open the clasp,
when the phoenix returned, landing with grace
and the onlookers let out a gasp.
Its movements, though elegant, were surprisingly slow.
Its colours more ashen than bold.
You did not need to be an ornithologist to know
that the phoenix was getting too old.
It landed on the dome gripping a large lump of coal
which in its nest it carefully laid
among the paper, firelighters, and bottles of alcohol
in this fire trap of a nest it had made.
When it had finished arranging it looked up to see
a dishevelled type risking its ire.
This hawker was clutching a bill that he wanted to be
publicised in the phoenix’s pyre.
The phoenix reared up and spread out its wings.
It attacked, looking clearly irate.
But its talons just bounced off his chains and rings
leaving them in a classic stalemate.
The pair of them circled in their antagonistic dance
while the onlookers felt compelled
to raise up their binoculars and exploit this chance
to examine the leaflet he held.
They looked at the flyer during this rooftop ballet
it was dominated by a comely wench.
Alan spoke for many for he was moved to say
“I don’t believe she even speaks French.”
“Oh I don’t know. I’m sure she must have worked
at least on her letters.” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie raised his hand to hide the fact that he’d smirked
but did so with a tic in one eye.
Spotting an opening the tout dived and plunged
the advert into the nest on the sly.
But this brought him close to the Phoenix who lunged
and pecked him upon his third eye.
The huckster dropped, rolled, the gutter rapidly drew
closer till he was stopped by a mast
in a painful manner such that everyone now knew
his business perks were a thing of the past.
Exciting though this was Alan turned his head
because he heard something else appear.
Once more, Alan spoke for most when he said
“Oh no. What are they doing here.”
———————————-
2001-08-24 20:10
# The Phoenix Part 1 : The Arrival
Phoenix – six, pics, fix, sticks, helix, onyx, acrobatics, crucifix,
spondulicks, (sub)tropics, matrix, mathematics,
Alan, Brian & Charlie arrive. WSM – B3346: Worle High St-Milton?, E116:
Birmingham to Plymouth
Never seen a phoenix before – have seen:
roc – claw marks on the car,
harpy ‘rapelled to where the harpies make their nest’
caladrius – only reason the car still runs,
Griffin
hippogriff,
Pegasus (pegasi?)
Been to an island where dragons fill all the niches
Cockatrice
Mister Bluebird – didn’t miss, stained clothes
Walked among giant penguins in Florida – Pinguinus Giganticus – even though
technically that would be a variety of Great Auk.
Eagle, pecked out the appendix of one – but it grew back
An old, slow, rather dull, Phoenix arrives back at its almost completed nest
(made with inflammatory materials) ready to die. On top of the Museum of
Unnatural History
Crowds are forming.
Somebody up on the roof attempting to get a selfie with the phoenix? Phoenix
is waiting for them to leave before landing. Somewhere around the 85th shot,
looking for the perfect social media fodder, it loses patience. The budding
influencer tumbles down the dome, prevented from falling by a convenient
lightning conductor, although he does break his ‘selfie stick’ in an accident
that would make a yatagarasu wince
—–
“You said we’d be first,” said Alan getting out of the car.
“No I didn’t,” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie just shrugged as if to say “Here we are”
but did so with a tic in one eye.
They had been on the trail of a roc when the call
had come in via Alan’s new pager.
They jumped in Brian’s car (which he managed to stall)
and, after a few stops, here they were.
Most of those here they could already address by name.
They were chiefly from the same coterie.
Yet a couple of policemen were blocking off all the same
the Museum of Unnatural History.
A more suitable location it would be hard to find.
This place was clearly the best,
thus Alan, and Brian, and even Charlie opined,
for the Phoenix to construct its nest.
Brian was fumbling with his binocular case,
he was struggling to open the clasp,
when the phoenix returned, landing with grace
and the onlookers let out a gasp.
Its movements, though elegant, were surprisingly slow.
Its colours more ashen than bold.
You did not need to be an ornithologist to know
that the phoenix was getting too old.
It landed on the dome gripping a large lump of coal
which in its nest it carefully laid
among the paper, firelighters, and bottles of alcohol
in this fire trap of a nest it had made.
When it had finished arranging it looked up to see
a dishevelled type risking its ire.
This hawker was clutching a bill that he wanted to be
publicised in the phoenix’s pyre.
The phoenix reared up and spread out its wings.
It attacked, looking clearly irate.
But its talons just bounced off his chains and rings
leaving them in a classic stalemate.
The pair of them circled in their antagonistic dance
while the onlookers felt compelled
to raise up their binoculars and exploit this chance
to examine the leaflet he held.
They looked at the flyer during this rooftop ballet
it was dominated by a comely wench.
Alan spoke for many for he was moved to say
“I don’t believe she even speaks French.”
“Oh I don’t know. I’m sure she must have worked
at least on her letters.” was Brian’s reply.
Charlie raised his hand to hide the fact that he’d smirked
but did so with a tic in one eye.
Spotting an opening the tout dived and plunged
the advert into the nest on the sly.
But this brought him close to the Phoenix who lunged
and pecked him upon his third eye.
The huckster dropped, rolled, the gutter rapidly drew
closer till he was stopped by a mast
in a painful manner such that everyone now knew
his business perks were a thing of the past.
Exciting though this was Alan turned his head
because he heard something else appear.
Once more, Alan spoke for most when he said
“Oh no. What are they doing here.”
———————————-
2001-05
Each part of the poem concludes with the reactions of three observers (along
the lines of the three wise men of Gotham). The first two tend to have
conflicting views. The third one says nothing but has a tic in his eye (they
are all twitchers). At the end of the last part the first two agree for the
first and only time and the third says nothing but smiles (but still has a tic
in his eye).
These 3 observers are Alan, Brian & Charlie. I suspect that they will be
starting each section as well. If each section is physically located in a
different area then the poem could arrive at each area when they do.
Look up words/phrases connected to fire/burning & resurrection.
Sections
1. The Immolation.
An old rather dull Phoenix is preparing its nest ready to die causing great
interest.
When it does it bursts into flames and is reborn in bright reds, oranges &
yellows.
Unfortunately it has damaged the building and is arrested for arson.
At a public building. Could have at least one person mistakenly try to snatch
eggs (there aren’t any) and end up getting their fingers burnt (literally).
2. The trial.
In the courtroom. A,B & C in the public gallery + could be called as
witnesses.
At the (well protested (inflammable attitudes?)) trial it is found guilty and
rather harshly sentenced to death in the electric chair.
3. The decision.
A,B & C drowning their sorrows in a bar getting angry. Eventually decide to
throw a protest.
4. The protest.
Outside the location for part 5. Interfering with preparations wherever
possible. Mobilise the rest of the bar’s patrons at the start and pick up more
on the journey. This could mirror the phoenix’s resurrection with attitudes
getting greyer and greyer until they pick up with the new resolution.
5. The electrocution.
At the witness stand. Should be a major public turnout also watching via TV
screens outside the building. This would probably be where A,B & C would be.
Its colours have dimmed by the time it is carried out. (Gives us time for a
protest movement?). It is strapped into the modified chair. The switch is
thrown. The phoenix dies and is reborn in brilliant blues and whites.
(Differences may extend to speed and manner of movement as well)
