Changing Physical States

Bill Viola - Purification (2005)

Climbing down sun-flung mountains of green and up out of frigid lakes of 48 degrees (North), he arrived back in conventional knowledge on time and with only a goofy animal hat and strangely-placed injuries to remind him that there was any other way. He slept soundly the first night.

But the recent wounds softened in the morning shower and turned the color of muted tan. The largest was a quarter-shaped elipse around the corner of his elbow which he could barely see by contorting his left arm. Another was perched on the nape of his neck with deep edges that he could feel with his fingertips. These pieces of body seemed to be transforming physical states in the rush of fluorinated city water. They looked like dairy products covered with a thin layer of firmed film on their way to a cure. And if bumped, they melted like ice cream but dripped blood instead.

In a rush, he rolled down the sleeves of routine and hustled out the door. He performed the daily dredges, just needing slightly more fresh water than usual. But a stamp of passionate red began appearing soft at the elbow of his blue fabric facade. He thought for a minute to wear it proudly and open the scab on his neck as well, but instead excused himself and proceeded to scrub the stain rigorously in the bathroom sink.

His coworkers already noticed and always knew anyway, but had written long sleeves into the protocol for this exact purpose. He returned to his desk and nobody mentioned it.

DeVotchKa - How It Ends (mp3)

Worth Noting: Daytrotter recently deubted "Bookery", a series of vocalizations of poignant writings - my favourite so far being Clinic's Ade Blackburn reading Adrian Henri's "Tonight at Noon".