Jehan brushed his hand over her temple.
“Still feeling tired?”
“Uh huh…” Zuni answered feebly.
Her eyelids were drooping.
“Try and get some sleep.”
Jehan turned his wheelchair to go out of the room, but she caught his arm. He looked back at her.
“Stay”, she said resolutely.
He stayed back. For the first time in the seven months that they’d been married, he stayed back because Zuni asked him to.
They always say “Your body is a temple” but don’t temples protect something and hold something sacred? Well what do I protect? What do I hold? Dangerous thoughts? Plans to escape? What is so special about that?
A haven. A place I can go to every time I need a chance to breathe. A place with endless comfort, solace. A place I hide, and I don’t have to fear being judged or frowned upon. A place in between my two temples.
Hmmm, first thing to leap to mind: Fleet Foxes, Montezuma. Second thought to pop to mind: Temples, Jewel of Mine Eye. And the third thought: Sun Structures.
The temple was sacred ground and they knew that if they set one foot on the temple’s ground, they would be cursed. So the three of them did it anyone, because they were completely unsatisfied with their lives. As a result, they were cursed with eternal life.
With the barrel up to his temple, he paused.
“Why?” he asked, his voice void of any emotion.
But he already knew the answer, he knew it in the base of soul, in the cold corners of his heart.
There was no answer needed.
I rubbed my temples that were hurting. It felt like my head was being crushed. The medication wasn’t working and the only thing that could dampen the pain was distraction. So I went rock climbing, but even that was not enough of a distraction and I couldn’t concentrate my head was hurting so bad.
“This ground is sacred and holy!” barked the squire, face red and nostrils flaring as he screamed into Isabel’s face. “No one is to enter the temple unless otherwise ordered by King Damian or myself, young lady, do you understand? I should not have to tell you twice!”
She swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yes, sir. My sincerest apologies.”
He nodded briskly, seemingly satisfied, and then shooed her away.
It was that treacherous storm that was silent but powerful, enclosing around him and within him. Just waiting until he crumbled into tormented ruins. To be swept away in pieces.
I couldn’t believe the pounding in my ears. How could I have messed things up this badly? There was blood everywhere and I could barely see through the searing pain. I started to feel around in front me, desperate to get out of there. I couldn’t feel anything, so I took baby steps forward and inched along the room until my fingers grazed what felt like a wall. Only it was wet with blood, too.
So if my body is a temple it must be located in a back alley, off the beaten path, up the street from skid row and around the corner from fast food folly.
He stumbled, falling. The temple rumbled around him. His hands scraped the rough stones. He rolled, trying to get up again. Stones were falling all around him. The building was coming down, no matter what happened.
Look harder. It’s way up there. Lean back, squint your eyes and you’ll find it. The church’s steeple is only a tiny spot in the huge blue sky, dwarfed by the awesome sun and billowing cloud. Religion tries to sit high above us all, but it has limits. A simple drop in the sea of God’s greatness.
a shrine. the pile of candles, notes, flowers, the random 45, or lp cover, incense, some beads and ticket stubs from the grateful dead in ny in 1978. we missed him.
It loomed above me, a tower stretching up into the black sky, streaked with lightning. Arms and legs shaking, I took my first step up the long. winding stairs. Lightning, thunder all around. This can’t be good, I thought.
you’ve fallen down the stairs, chased by torch light and gun shots but you’ve reached the altar after all. the final trip has been made, now that you ascend the steps carved directly from the stone this locus of adoration was built on. your eyes glint in the rotten light of a tomb; the sickness has befallen you, too.
The first time she visited the temple she felt distinctly out of place. Safuri purring in her ear did nothing to help her agitation. She did everything within her power to try and blend in, but she knows she failed miserably.
Indeed, they singled her out just as easily as Safuri had.
The second time, her unease with the situation had begun to settle, even if her dislike of the temple remained. One of the attendants caught her on her way out, asking leading questions in falsely casual tones.
The third time, they asked her if she would like to become a Vessel.
My temple dome is filled with my ideas.
I struggle to climb to the top and gather my thoughts.
With so many in mind, I pick them up one by one
And concrete the ones I do not need in order to build to the top.
Jehan brushed his hand over her temple.
“Still feeling tired?”
“Uh huh…” Zuni answered feebly.
Her eyelids were drooping.
“Try and get some sleep.”
Jehan turned his wheelchair to go out of the room, but she caught his arm. He looked back at her.
“Stay”, she said resolutely.
He stayed back. For the first time in the seven months that they’d been married, he stayed back because Zuni asked him to.
Most of you have great use of words. I enjoy reading all of them. Thank you for sharing your subconscious thoughts.
They always say “Your body is a temple” but don’t temples protect something and hold something sacred? Well what do I protect? What do I hold? Dangerous thoughts? Plans to escape? What is so special about that?
A haven. A place I can go to every time I need a chance to breathe. A place with endless comfort, solace. A place I hide, and I don’t have to fear being judged or frowned upon. A place in between my two temples.
Hmmm, first thing to leap to mind: Fleet Foxes, Montezuma. Second thought to pop to mind: Temples, Jewel of Mine Eye. And the third thought: Sun Structures.
The temple was sacred ground and they knew that if they set one foot on the temple’s ground, they would be cursed. So the three of them did it anyone, because they were completely unsatisfied with their lives. As a result, they were cursed with eternal life.
sunrise above Setumbu Hill
a beautiful scenery of Borobudur
very early in the morning
it’s cold before your hand grabs mine
I fainted when my temple
formed a big bump
proof of the pain the sounds had made
With the barrel up to his temple, he paused.
“Why?” he asked, his voice void of any emotion.
But he already knew the answer, he knew it in the base of soul, in the cold corners of his heart.
There was no answer needed.
He pressed his fingers to his temple, trying to stall the rising headache. He could feel his pulse throbbing through the skin.
Her body was a temple. Golden, tanned from sun’s rays. She was beautiful, and he took to worshiping her.
I rubbed my temples that were hurting. It felt like my head was being crushed. The medication wasn’t working and the only thing that could dampen the pain was distraction. So I went rock climbing, but even that was not enough of a distraction and I couldn’t concentrate my head was hurting so bad.
“This ground is sacred and holy!” barked the squire, face red and nostrils flaring as he screamed into Isabel’s face. “No one is to enter the temple unless otherwise ordered by King Damian or myself, young lady, do you understand? I should not have to tell you twice!”
She swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yes, sir. My sincerest apologies.”
He nodded briskly, seemingly satisfied, and then shooed her away.
It was that treacherous storm that was silent but powerful, enclosing around him and within him. Just waiting until he crumbled into tormented ruins. To be swept away in pieces.
When he kissed me on my left temple, it reminded me: this man loves me. My temple isn’t someplace used to seduce my sexuality, but my heart.
I couldn’t believe the pounding in my ears. How could I have messed things up this badly? There was blood everywhere and I could barely see through the searing pain. I started to feel around in front me, desperate to get out of there. I couldn’t feel anything, so I took baby steps forward and inched along the room until my fingers grazed what felt like a wall. Only it was wet with blood, too.
So if my body is a temple it must be located in a back alley, off the beaten path, up the street from skid row and around the corner from fast food folly.
He stumbled, falling. The temple rumbled around him. His hands scraped the rough stones. He rolled, trying to get up again. Stones were falling all around him. The building was coming down, no matter what happened.
Look harder. It’s way up there. Lean back, squint your eyes and you’ll find it. The church’s steeple is only a tiny spot in the huge blue sky, dwarfed by the awesome sun and billowing cloud. Religion tries to sit high above us all, but it has limits. A simple drop in the sea of God’s greatness.
a shrine. the pile of candles, notes, flowers, the random 45, or lp cover, incense, some beads and ticket stubs from the grateful dead in ny in 1978. we missed him.
It loomed above me, a tower stretching up into the black sky, streaked with lightning. Arms and legs shaking, I took my first step up the long. winding stairs. Lightning, thunder all around. This can’t be good, I thought.
you’ve fallen down the stairs, chased by torch light and gun shots but you’ve reached the altar after all. the final trip has been made, now that you ascend the steps carved directly from the stone this locus of adoration was built on. your eyes glint in the rotten light of a tomb; the sickness has befallen you, too.
The first time she visited the temple she felt distinctly out of place. Safuri purring in her ear did nothing to help her agitation. She did everything within her power to try and blend in, but she knows she failed miserably.
Indeed, they singled her out just as easily as Safuri had.
The second time, her unease with the situation had begun to settle, even if her dislike of the temple remained. One of the attendants caught her on her way out, asking leading questions in falsely casual tones.
The third time, they asked her if she would like to become a Vessel.
As if she could say no.
I’d like to say that my body was a temple but I’m not that good! I’ve visited many temples in far off destinations though.
Quick, massage my temple!
What?
Just do it! Just say yes!
Okay, here.
That’s the STUFF! THAT’S WHAT MAMA LIKES!
“You can’t visit New York City and not try a dirty water dog.”
The Guy deadpans from behind his Ray-Bans. “Babe, my body is a temple.”
“Only crispy tofu salads, coconut chai tea, gelato and vapor are worthy of entry?” she asks.
He smiles. “And Chipotle. Burrito, white rice, black beans, carnitas–”
She shoves a pushcart hot dog into his face.
“Rude.”
He spoon-fed me for too many years, whispering things in my ears so often that I began to believe him. He told me he worshipped me.
I should have been afraid.
My temple dome is filled with my ideas.
I struggle to climb to the top and gather my thoughts.
With so many in mind, I pick them up one by one
And concrete the ones I do not need in order to build to the top.
Once I’m there I no longer need time.