Tuesday, October 21, 2014

6019. SOMEONE'S LAST INTENTION

SOMEONE'S LAST INTENTION
They are clapping, Eduardo, for nothing,
while we play stupid music of the bounding
main. How'd that ever get started anyway? The 
sea as the 'bounding main'? I mean, let me talk, 
don't get me wrong, listen. I like it. It's got a
nice feel. But, what's the essence? What's it
really mean? Bounding main?
-
The martyr on the ship I last saw sinking was
not any martyr at all  -  bawling, crying his
stinking eyes out as the plastered ship went 
down.  In that sinking it made its own wake.
He pealed a merciless peal for value and mirth,
in which it was all soft enough but sounded to hear.
-
His last intention was to pray aloud  -  but the water
caught him good and all his screaming did was garble
up that sound into something else : 'I seem to be dying,
my God, dying here ! and nothing now comes of it!'
-
I wasn't close enough to hear the rest, and he was still
spitting words when I saw him last. He there reminded
me of a Captain Ahab of his own, going down with a
vengeance but going with a purpose as well.

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