The Looking-Glass

[16 May 2019]

A shopping bag. Plastic, not unordinary. Not not full of nothing. Half-full of things I had not forgotten and half-not-full of things I had not unforgotten.                                The shopping bag and not a note and not a letter but two “I’m” left to not be a thought of itself, a thought to be carried on a staff red-blue, and green. Green. And green. And not green. And not-blue. For itself. Not not for itself.

A glitch, that is a shopping bag or wine glass or milk carton or pencil case for that matter

filled with seawater and sludge. Plastic. Pure plastic. Doesn’t stop anything. I did. You did. You you you you you you you you you did do. I. Not unfamiliar to one another. Blue-green and static hues stasis shelf life of today.

THE FIRST QUESTION?

I’m.

I’m now.

I’m not now.

Not I’m.

Not now I’m.

Now I’m not I’m not.

DO YOU MIND

Do you mind? Did I. Do I did. Did did do did mind. Did do you. I did. Do mind. Did does you do mind due does.

They all agreed. It was very good. They. All agreed it. Was very good. They all. Agreed. It. Was very good. They. All agreed. It was very. Good. They. All agreed it was. Very. Good. Good good good good good and they. They all. Agreed it. Was very. It was. Very. They. All agreed. Good and golden. Golden fire and water and circles. Tardigrades. Circles of golden honey. Very waylaid. Way laid. Laid. Laid way. Way. Laid. How are crowns. Brown. Crowns. Gold crowns. How are crowns. And tridents. Sticky. And honey. And ways. How are honeys.

The next sentence is about a pistachio.

Try to imagine how they felt. Broken. Token. Good and gold. How do they go away. Unlearn it. There’s a lake nearby. Repeat the letter. I. And M. Home and home and not-home. It isn’t even disposable. Anyone can learn to see. I can see that.

Not now or lightly. Lightly. Lightly tossed with butter and crème. Crème and sugar and pistachio pastries. And. Or. But. Nearly. If. If. If I. I’m. And if. I’m if. Am I. If I. Did it. If it did.

Did not smell right. Forget. Plastic. Don’t forget. Octopus and cabbage. Deep down. (Or maybe I’ve forgotten. What do you smell like).

14 responses to “The Looking-Glass”

  1. orkidedatter avatar

    I am captivated, thank you🦋

  2. Accipiter G. Goshawk avatar

    Curiouser and curiouser…

  3. deuxiemepeau avatar

    So striking Nathan, I loved how the seemingly unconnected thoughts connected. Really enjoyed reading this, it brightened up the lunchbreak.

    1. Nathan AM Smith avatar

      Thank you. I really appreciate it.
      Cheers.

  4. susanrouchard avatar

    How wonderful ! Food for thought, not thought, feelings, not emotions, not today, nor tomorrow but forever and ever, or not ever but always there to come back to .
    Thank you for visiting me. I am now following you.

    1. Nathan AM Smith avatar

      Thank you so much for your words. That’s exactly it. Exactly that is it. Thanks for your kind comment and for the follow. I can’t wait to see more of your work as well.
      Cheers.

  5. MondayGrey avatar

    Very late Virginia Woolf. 😀

    1. Nathan AM Smith avatar

      Thank you!! That was the hope! That or Gertrude Stein 🙂

  6. Veronica avatar

    Mesmerizing! Was this inspired by Virginia Woolf’s “The Lady in the Looking-Glass”?

    1. Nathan AM Smith avatar

      Thanks, Veronica! Perhaps subconsciously! I was not channelling that piece intentionally but Woolf and Stein were the primary influences for the piece. Do you like that one?

      1. Veronica avatar

        Yes, it’s one of my favourites! It seems like we have a similar literary taste.

        1. Nathan AM Smith avatar

          That’s awesome! It seems that way! How exciting! 🙂

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