Change (the only constant)

     I am attempting to be more disciplined but I did not go swimming last night.  Time just slipped past me as I was trying to fix my laptop (my Skype is running too slowly)... but with a few exceptions I am going to the gym and pool almost every day these days... it is part of a self-imposed "discipline" a Spartan revival of sorts in preparation for big challenges that are looming around the corner. “Mens sana in corpore sano”.
     The topic of this blog came up as I reminisced about the day I was having a cup of coffee with a dear friend about two weeks ago.  In the middle of our conversation and without pretensions on my side, the following phrase slipped from my mouth:
    “You know something my dear… change is the only constant in my life”. 
     But as I said that, she interrupted me in the only way she knows how to interrupt, that is, very gracefully.  She repeated my words slowly looked straight at me and smiled.
     “I love what you just said”, her eyes sparkled with admiration “change is the only constant in your life”. 
     At that point she made me reflect and those words echoed with meaning!
   “Yes, so true” I said, “as paradoxical as it sounds, change is the only constant in my life; I feel like a rolling stone for I will never gather moss”. 
Considering the deleterious consequences of my inability to grow mo$$ as the privileged do, I would say that my remark is an accurate assessment of how I have lived my life so far.
    My friend is such a precious gem, those that pirates like Eaglehook would like to retain very dearly at any favorite port!  If I were to describe her most prominent attributes, I would certainly include her enchanting femininity and alluring scent!  Oh my goodness …. Hot, hot  “candela mujer”!   I love the way she makes me feel important and much wiser than I truly am! 
     For those of you who are not familiar with my blog, Eaglehook the pirate is the main character of a spicy fairy tale I have started and that is still on the works.  He is a survivor, and for that he needs to be responsive to change otherwise he will be defeated by the witch of prejudice.  He is committed to save the Queen (of all desires) from this hideous witch, but instead got himself trapped by a platoon of three-headed hounds and grotesque goblins sent by the witch.  Now he lays captured in a dark dungeon, left to rot! 
     Eaglehook not unlike his utmost foe, the witch, is also a master of deception; I am certain that he will get himself out of that hole.  He has the unbending will of a hero and lives his life accordingly. He is resolute to the point that he would be willing to sacrifice his flesh and in turn have his invincible spirit execute his ultimate maneuver to save his loving Queen.
     I admire his high standards and tonight I wish take him out of the dungeon so that we can learn from him in a different way... Let’s recall what I wrote about him back in April last year, on the episode called “The Witch of Prejudice”. 


Fly to burn (cm Apr/09)
For a taste of your black magic
Wicked witch let me succumb;
And be devoured by the rats
That infest in your filthy dungeon.
You have captured me in good time;
Go ahead and let me die
For the flesh that you have caught
Lives a the spirit of a moth
Thwart your plan is my delight
Spin and gyre round your lamp
Wings in smoke I drop my poison
Drink to implode your wicked soul.


     There you go, that was a snapshot of his spirit - cheers, to you Eaglehook. 


A world traveler, he has circumnavigated the oceans countless times. That is why when I think of him I imagine him provisioning the “Black Pearl” in preparation for his next adventure. Of course along with his dozen crew of loyal buccaneers, who as the story goes are half-human and half-ghost for they have been cursed to remain in that amorphous stated by the wicket witch herself!    

The Druid of The North

He was a man of solemn air with white long hair and a beard. His emerald green eyes revealed the inner peace of a knowledgeable and polished soul full of wisdom and compassion.

She walked closer to greet the Druid and thought of hiding herself behind her royal demeanor and to offer him only her distant self.  However, at the exact moment she looked into his eyes, she felt drawn to his aura of immense empathy; all her inhibitions, her royal distance vanished as if she had never had them and finding herself instantly at ease.  So transparent were his eyes that she offered him her full sight in return… the way she really was without her shields. Moments passed without an exchange of words; a silence of intimate depth... as the queen began to recall the purpose of her trip she broke down in tears.

He took her hands and said in a soft calming voice “you came to me in great doubts and fears; I am here to help you, we must talk your majesty…” 

This is how the Queen and the druid made their first acquaintance. Soon she began to feel confident, a genuine sense of trust entered her heart, and for the first time in her life, she felt that she could share with someone her most protected secrets.  

They paced slowly through his village learning from each other as people greeted them courteously.  Following a road that took them to the outskirts of the town, he took her to the top of a hill where they sat by the shade of an old oak tree that overlooked golden fields of barley.  Like a lake made of silky golden stems arched by grains of plenty; the tall grassy carpet swayed gently with the west winds rolling in mellow oscillations. Caressed by the breeze, her soft skin felt wrapped by a magical freshness that brought to heart her one-eyed-pirate… she imagined herself lifted by her waist, then slipping down his arms she felt embraced - her hair streaming out to blend among the fields of gold…

       Note: The fields of barley location was inspired from a song 
      called "Fields of Gold” by Sting (Gordon Sumner) 
      featured in 'Ten Summoner's Tales' album 1993.

“My dear Queen, I dare to say that you are on a dilemma with regards to the pirate, the witch and with yourself.  Your uncertainties began to spring since you started to exchange letters with the pirate that my friendly fleet of seagulls so graciously offered to convey.  I also know of this immense climate of love that you and Eaglehook have created based on the verses he writes – Yes, Eaglehook the reckless adventurer, the gambler, the poet at heart, who dresses as a pirate to hide his giving nature and who is madly in love with you!” 
 
“Oh, how do you know all this?” the Queen asked in a surprised yet calm voice.  “There is very little I don’t know, my Queen.  My connections go far and deep, it is from this network that I learn the best and worst from all of you.  Your disappearance from your Queendom, the luring and the spell the witch of prejudice over you, your convenient captivity and location, were never a mystery to me.” … 
 

“Why did you not come to my rescue?”, the queen intervened. 
 
“The most compelling reason is that, albeit your captivity, the witch has allowed you to maintain a very reasonable life that eventually protected you from devastating blows you suffered in your Queendom.  I knew your royal duties obliged you to act in a stately fashion all the time forcing you to hide your real feeling simply to maintain appearances; the witch came at a proper time and the move was welcomed by you – I had no reason to interfere.  She offered you a shelter and you willingly moved to hide your soul.

  The Pirate Waits...
  Had once embarked your life 

 To share a sea as two in one
  In joy brought life thrice more
  Gale a storm so strong a squall 
  Gusts like furry it took its toll
  Broken course stood no bearing
  In pain for years you sailed alone
  A salty sea dissolved your sorrow

  A busking pirate-troubadour staged
  Scores like music strings his poems,
  Words as chords with tender tones
  Strumming songs to soothe your heart
  With words, love brings your life in tune
  Turning rocks, your efforts planted
 

 His own course unknown for certain
  Words like wine a pirate serves
  Drink you yearn his love sincere
  Thirst and pain your labor cost you
  Words swallow hard to trust be real
  Slumbered love you forced to rest
  In fear its course can hurt

  Words you drink with reason’s past
  Taste dreams for delusion certain
  Word you drink with heart to last
  Taste dreams and in love be certain
  Is how you drink and wish you taste
  The pirate pours his drink to savor
  Tide, wind, stars his ship to sail
  Shores his heart, his words, his soul
  He waits…  

“The second reason why I did not help you gain your freedom has to do with the witch. She has been my rival for hundreds of years; my most dangerous adversary.  I dare not challenge her another time unless I have a winning formula to defeat her.  I have lost on eight occasions and each time I lost, it cost me a life!  This is my eighth life and I do not have another one to spare; if I die trying I will be gone until kingdom comes!  

“When I heard of your beautiful love story from pelican Ignatius, a common friend I have with Eaglehook, I saw a chance to defeat the dreaded witch once and for all.  But I cannot do it alone and need your cooperation”  

“Yes, I want to help”, said the Queen, “but if we get rid of the witch, I will be left unprotected, my heart will be exposed, I will be found and will have to return to My Queendom!  I am also afraid to be vulnerable to love as Eaglehook comes closer… I am afraid to fall for him although I truly want to.” 

“You will be tested my dear Queen.  The witch is aware of all your vulnerabilities, your fears, and your new found love for the pirate.  At this point, she has an enormous advantage by holding the pirate captive.  She knows for sure that you will at least attempt to set him free; although what you secretly want is to make him yours forever..."

“She plans to torture and finally kill the pirate in front of you" continues the Druid,  "to exert her dominance and make you her slave forever.  Now, if she finds out that I am helping, she will throw you in the dungeons to take revenge and force me to come to your rescue; a confrontation that if I loose will kill me – a very difficult situation...
I am sure that as we speak the witch is torturing the brave pirate, trying to find out of your whereabouts, she is relentless and her methods debilitate the strongest wills, at the end all succumb to her malevolent manipulations.  We must act fast and take advantage of all our resources, the pirate, his crew, the fairies, elves, you and I; believe me we will have to work together.  Here is my plan…”

The Queen Meets the Druid

The following morning before dawn the Queen guarded by her fairies and elves arrived on the deck of Eaglehook’s ship where the first mate greeted her with great respect pretending he was sober, but easily betrayed by the pungent smell of rum that exuded at every syllable he uttered.  

Eaglehook’s crew consisted of a dozen half-human half ghost creatures who had been cursed to remain in that amorphous state by the wicket witch herself. During the night because of the lack of luminosity, one was able to see their faces pretty much like anyone else’s, but as soon as the day’s first streaks of light appeared, their complexion turned pale and paler, until they disappeared completely as the sun came out. 

She broke the news of their captain’s captivity to which they reacted viscerally reaching for their swords showing their desires to rescue Eaglehook at all cost. The Queen then gathered her royal posture and ordered the uncontrolled dozen to stop the commotion and to stand in formation for her orders. 

Tears Turned Butterflies

Yes, yes, yes … we have reached a very interesting point and it is necessary to reveal a few more secrets I left out from you… sorry I kept you in suspense but trust me it is all for a good cause. First, let me tell you about this Druid of the Great North. This man has lived at least six lives back to back and is going on his seventh. The wealth of knowledge he has accumulated over his shoulder is paramount let alone the wisdom he possesses in all matters of morals, justice and prophesy.

His most dreadful foe, the witch of prejudice, had already cost him six of his lives and now he is determined at to capture her forever for now is his last chance. In his search for justice, he had been searching for the right opportunity to deploy his prowess. Then one day he came upon the Queen and the Pirate…

It was at this juncture that the Great Druid of the North sent for the Pelican Ignatius who was as we know a philosopher, but also a keen astronomer. The Druid had been lacking concentration those days because great cosmic disturbances were interfering with his telepathic abilities. He wanted to know the cause and to find way to solve the problem.

Pelican Ignatius knew quite well the cause, but he was afraid to tell the Druid straight for he feared the Druid would harm the pirate. “Allow me Great Druid to explain the reason,” said the pelican. “I know very well the person who is behind these galactic phenomena, but promise me not to harm him because he is my dearest friend”
“But why would you like to protect such vandal who is disrupting my ability to think”. “The reason is that he is innocent and does not know that he is affecting you,” the pelican explained. “My friend has found a treasure so immense that his heart is sending signals so potent every time he looks at particular set of stars, a group of three. And that is why every time he looks at them he attracts to himself enormous galactic powers from which he channels his emotions to the stars and disrupts your ability to communicate.”
“Hummm…” murmured the druid, and then said “and in doing so he has indirectly called on me to his attention!” Then he realized that there was deeper meaning behind this coincidence, he became pensive and then demanded.

The Crystal Ball

She heard the devastating news of how the pirate had been captured and her small friends slain. “Oh most tragic fate” … her body trembled and eyes swept ….”why so much cruelty” tonight of all night, that she waited for so long she hurt with all her dreams shattered…. “Oh my pirate why you died”

Crying on her balcony in total despair the queen earnestly prayed and cried desperately…. Her supplication so sincere that the clouds made way to let the stars shine thru… so cheerless her soul that her grounds guardian owls sent in unison harmonics buhuuu to soothe her pain.…

Beeding heart (cm:apr-09)
My heart bleeds I cannot stop
Is too late to hold your hands
Is too late to wish you mine
For without you I will now die
Our love soars high
Beyond the starry skies

Up away the skies so high, stars pulsed their lights so calm, a ray hope shone her way …. As she looked above, she realized shone the star she dreamed the night the pirate read her message in the sky! So mysterious was its warmth she new so well it shone both ways reflected on the star thru the crevice on the wall.

The Witch of Prejudice

WHEN, suddenly the skies darkened; surrounding the land in deafening thunders that echoed fiercely in belching explosions… At the epicenter was the witch of prejudice siphoning dark clouds that descended towards her in whirly furry. At her flanks were her contingents of goblins performing grotesque diabolic rituals of abominable depravation.

At the darkest moment, the witch dispatched her goblins and scores of furious three headed flesh-eating hounds to capture the pirate.
Most of the welcoming entourage fled but a few fell pray to the vicious hounds that tore their flesh viciously. The witch on a well-staged ploy lured Eaglehook to fall into a trap as he tried to rescue a piglet from being devoured by three-headed aberration. Exactly as he stepped on the hidden trap, a heavy net snatched him from the ground and gobbled him upwards leaving him hanging like a giant fig from a tree….

HAAHAHHAHAHAHAH HA shrieked the witch in cruel laughter; “damnation I shall take revenge!” she spewed in anger.
Our pirate was dragged by tens of goblins that locked him in a dungeon.
As he waited in the damp and dark cell, he resisted his surrender. Entrenched in his fearless valor he defied the witch to fight him… “I may loose my body but not my soul” . As he mulled his great escape a mysterious a warm ray of light percolated through a crack on the heavy rock wall - Graced by a sublime revelation the pirate fell to his knees and cried, “It is you my dear queen that comes to calm my heart”

Ray of hope (cm Apr/09)
Queen of my desires
Shield my heart with love
My body stand to guard
What foes seek to annihilate

A fissure on the wall
Darkness gone away
A ray of hope so bright
Percolates my heart

A fissure on the wall
Sadness crushed so hard
A ray of joy so bright
foes cannot destroy

Now with reassurances that the Queen held his soul safely on her care, he was fearless and confident to destroy his foes and join his queen. A peak into his heart would reveal the true colors of his invincible nature and devotion for his queen:

Fly to burn (cm Apr/09)
For a taste of your black magic
Wicked witch let me succumb;
And be devoured by the rats
That infest in your filthy dungeon.
You have captured me in good time;
Go ahead and let me die
For the flesh that you have caught
Lives a the spirit of a moth
Thwart your plan is my delight
Spin and gyre round your lamp
Wings in smoke I drop my poison
To implode your wicked soul.

silly fairy song

Indeed the pirate was able to deceive everyone as detective Dream-Catcher had predicted; but with one difference: he was not with the queen of all desires! He had been snatched by his archrival foe the zealot witch of prejudice, and was about to cast a spell on him and turn him into a stuffed raven! …

I know, my friendly reader… you would prefer to skip to the part where the pirate and her majesty finally kiss, get cozy, etc.. However, let us be patient and carry on a step at a time! We must find out why and how he got into this horrendous predicament.

As we know this far, the pirate has true feeling for the queen, But there was another important reason to meet her: She had in her possession his right eye, and he wanted it back at all cost.

How he lost his eye is a matter of another tale, but suffice to say that he had lost it on quarrel over some scantly dressed ladies in a saloon. It is said that in the middle of the confusion an elf came and popped his eye out with a spoon and runaway with it. Shady business don’t you think? Well, let’s not get side tracked and return to our story…

We left Eaglehook as he slumbered under the scorching heat on top his ship’s deck on the verge of extinction. Inexplicably the winds picked up and inflated the ships sails to push them deeper into the high seas. Legend says that his spirit took charge of the ship while he laid there in as state of oblivion. By some miraculous providence, the ship took him all the way to her majesties shores. …A sparkling cool spray woke him up; it was our delicate Dewdrop fairy gently sending magic drops his way.

Remarkably, he woke up without signs of weariness and in full of vigor… “Where am I” he demanded… “

“You have reached our queens shores gallant pirate”, exclaimed the fairy; “I have orders to take you to her castle”. He was cautious to hear those words and reminiscing on the scorching heat when he thought he had died, he became even more skeptical of his whereabouts. "How did I get here?" "Who sailed my ship?" Full of questions but without answers they were joined by more fairies Tinkerbelle, Frawn, Silvermist among a dozen others who came from all directions hovering in frolic maneuvers around his head…

“Enough you silly ladies…” he ordered, “Hurry up and take me to her palace!” He got up shaking off the dust from his long journey and feeling grumpy and in disbelieve, followed the flying ladies. The fairies did not seem to care about his mood and coarse manners and were dancing all around him while he shook them off like annoying bugs. Chanting silly songs with boisterous and dissonant soprano voices - the fairies drove him crazy:

silly fairy song (cm Apr/09)
Songs of joy we celebrate
Trumpets, bells ‘n fireworks
Colored perfumed butterflies ‘
Ladybugs ‘n fireflies

Rabbits, birds ‘n monkeys feast
Pudding, cakes ‘n jellybeans
pirate is bathed and shaven clean!
Fragrant ready for thee queen!


To add to the confusion various animals and bugs joined the welcoming entourage frolicking and laughing frantically. This could not be real he thought, what a nightmare, complained the pirate; I rather perish in quicksand!

"I am a one eyed pirate - a feared buccaneer not a namby-pamby prince with a fancy cape and a sissy feathered hat…I must be in the wrong story", he worried! "Urrrg…" he cursed and spat… his only solace was that he would reach his beloved queen soon. "This should be my last frustration;" he thought as he filled his heart with her sculptured figure, his lost eye and persevered.

The queen has disappeared!

Distinguished reader, allow me to introduce myself. I am detective Dream-Catcher of the Seagull Intelligence Agency (SIA) in charge of the anti-fraud task force of the seven seas. I have been called to investigate the disappearance of her majesty the queen of all desires!

Some time ago, we were very moved to learn that Eaglehook the pirate had passed away for a most noble cause and in honor of our queen.

I felt nostalgic of his demise. Looking back into his trajectory, I secretly admired but never condoned his ability to sail the seas snatching treasures, enchanting women and collecting them as porcelain dolls, just to cast them overboard when he got tired of playing with them.

His arrogance at times so disgusting, that on occasions I wished I could have drowned him, but never had the courage and ended throwing lifesavers on his rescue. I became sympathetic of him, when I thought that he would come to the realization that he was hiding his real reasons to escape; that he was only faking his merciless desire to loot… evading his own conscience. I thought he knew very well that he would inevitably begin to accept his own mortality and seek salvation.

After many years on his track, I learned to respect his vivid yet perverted intellect. We all know that he had entered an irrevocable state of physical decay caused by long years of unrestrained behavior and lurid morality.

Let me warn you dear reader: our allegedly defunct friend was too smart to exit before his most feared ghost took possession of him: the dimming of his soul ahead of his heart. The only tragedy that would preclude his own redemption. So why would Eaglehook anticipate his death with most his mental faculties intact?

I became so suspicious that launched a full-scale investigation to recover his ship and his body …. NOTHING has been found! There are no traces of him anywhere! He has simply fooled us all again. This story about him waiting for his queen in heaven and guiding her to him when her time comes is a fabrication!

My dear reader, please reason with me… he is a hairy handed, red-blooded PIRATE, a fearless buccaneer and a master of deception! He has snatched the queen of all desires before our very eyes! He has simply maneuvered our attention to think him dead while he is enjoying a most worldly and passionate encounter with her majesty in persona; and to top of it all she is a willing companion! A sacrilege!

Here is the SCOOP; most reliable sources from the SIA have intercepted love verses written in his own handwriting and dated as early as today! He is ALIVE and very much in LOVE with the queen… yes, I said in LOVE …

It is mind bogging that our “mucho-macho” filibuster is capable of such sublime feelings. Moreover, for us to be deprived form our queen of all desires; and her willingness to allow herself to be lured by this despicable creature hurt us so deep.

Knowing the pirate as I do, he will not throw her overboard as he did with his collection. They have now teamed up to take control of the seven seas! An epic chase of incomparable wit has just begun! Prepare yourselves!

Here is the evidence:

Touché
Touché! You caught me off guard!
I am humbled before you fair lady –
You take this round; I felt your clout,
Admire your style to fence me off so boldly!

I meant no harm and that is true
But also true that play I do
With words and swords as pirates do;
But why should I deceive to play alone
When is more fun to play with you?

Swoosh, wooosh … kaabush..
I shall disappear behind my words; don’t fear!
Deceive you not, but reappear
To make you feel the magic.

Our season:
The turns of Nature showed
When ripened times converge
Is now, as always been
Most certainly our season

Swimming in sync
She: “… And today I swam in the morning as it rained and each drop on my face made me feel so alive and wishing you were there to share.”
He: “ … Consider I was with you there in every stroke, and every drop that fell on you the Dew Drop Ferry made for you …

 

Incubation: (the flight of the eagles)
You have incubated much too long sweetheart for our heat has turned to fire!

It is time to clutch you tight
Ardently around my arms
Break that shell to come alive
To fly with me like an eagle

Why the message in the sky (Part 2)

AAfter reading from the stars, our pirate prepares to embark on his most glorious quest.
He was only certain of two things. First, that by an irrefutable revelation, the night he gazed at the stars from the crows nest, that his muse had read and understood “why the message in the sky”. The second fact he held in his possession, was that she was out there somewhere beyond the point of no return…

YES, yes, yes… my friendly reader I need to explain: The point of no return is that point that if crossed, will never return you to your point of origin… indeed a very foolish endeavor. However, you know how pirates are so greedy, especially if the boot is the queen of all desires; yes! her majesty in person! … And all for himself, of course… his most inspiring muse the essence of perfection!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention, he does not even know her name! Well between you and I let us call her Rapunzel of the seas.
It has been said that she has long golden hair and shuns all her pretenders…how can our sea drifter be so obtuse!

“You are a madman,” laughed drunken buccaneers as they saw him set sail “You will go blind in the scorching sun and become mad before you drown to the center of the earth!”

But he knew what he was doing with resolute conviction he departed…“I don’t need my eyes because I can see it in my heart!” he barked in anger!

Months later on a blind course:

By now his vision almost gone and the charts were useless!
No signs of hope anywhere, and the dreadful point was twice behind. The rats were dead, all was silent except cracking sounds of snapping pointed splinters sticking up from scalding decks; and flat sounds of blisters bursting from his back. Grasping in hot air he painfully exuded last his drop of courage:

Oh sterile sea,
A lonely man and torrid heat
Arrhythmic specters dance afar
Twirls of horrid convolutions
Guts, flesh and fishbone spumes
Goblins, demons take possession
Scorched skin the heat sinks deep
In nauseating vertigo he spins
On his fall to condemnation

A shield of faith wraps his soul
Right on time for his protection
As the fall slings in reverses direction
His soul hovers high in vast suspension
Sweet odes are heard and rainbows seen
Yet alone he comes to understand
That his spirit is sailing free
And now settled in her heart
He is the message in the sky

Why the message in the sky

The pirate has been ill; his bones hurt. He is back though; lets find out what he is up to now.
---*** ---
Our trusty pirate is fed up of mulling on his troubles and has risen to grab a lost treasure; a true love he thought foregone like the path of a fallen star.

He hastily summons his old friend the pelican to take a message across the many seas. However, as he is about to seal the envelope he apologizes to his envoy and tells him that on second thoughts a message so direct would sound pretentious and infinitely trite.

The friendly bird then suggests to drop a bottle on her beach… he disproves to say that such an action would misconstrue a vulgar call for random craze; that a lady of her class would disdainfully refuse.

Looking for an answer, he finds himself on top of the crows nest balancing the tides; with one hand on the mast and the other pointing at the stars, he bursts in great elation:

I have felt her lasting flame
Unaware I cherished for so long
Colors spread to ignite the hearth
Soothing warmth of light so true
Sweet deaf odes shall play for you
Invisible rainbows make you smile
Precious verses encoded in the stars
Stands to reason but not in words
When your soul finds my heart
I will take you aboard my ship
And together you’ll understand
Why the message in the sky.