mardi gras.
mardi gras. around three. two oclock. we were in a warehouse. drums
playing. people everywhere. on water pipes near the ceiling. sitting
on rungs on ladders. on various ledges. sitting in the windows ten
feet from the floor. on stage. drums. two dominatrix. piercing a
labia. or other. whipping. then. a band. nipple. with guitars. fake
blood. okay. finally. drums. crash worship. everywhere. drums. people
dancing. no shirts. some. no pants. just a loincloth. male. female. no
difference. dancing. and then i saw the fire everyone was dancing
about. in a metal washtub. as people kicked it around. dancing around.
bowing down. to the fire. fire crackers exploding. here. there. under
your feet. hands reaching into the fire. screams. drums. whistles.
then movement. around the fire. in a circle. dancing. screaming. flesh
against flesh. searing almost. sweat mixing sweat. dance. worship the
fire. man. tall. wearing a dunce cap. other strange garments. as he
moves through the crowd swinging a ball of fire. some. jump over it
like in that jump rope game. back away. later. as people dance against
each other. flesh against flesh. the wine is passed around. poured on
people. man going around giving people drinks. stage. what stage. then
everyone on their knees. as a woman holds her hands out over the fire.
waves them about. says an incantation. everyone bows to the fire. then
back. all the way. everyone lying on everyone else. head on stomach.
in arms. people smile. joke. talk. above the drums. everyone lying on
each other. then people. wearing loin cloths. rolling over the bodies
below. we use our hands and hold him up. staring at tattoos. pushing
him there. here. another person. as they swim the people. people gone.
people standing up again. the drums take hold again. people dance. a
man lights a rocket on the fire. hold onto it. as it screams.
screeching whistle. drums. on stage. everyone dancing. people playing
drums. not band members. some. audience. band. no distinction. as some
band enters audience. audience rising to the stage playing drums while
people dance. rocks thrown into fire. man pouring in lighter fluid.
dance. dance. drums. slowly the crowd thins. day breaks through the
windows. it is no longer dark in this building. i rise up to a ladder
and watch the dance below. everywhere. then dancing. thinner. more
room. wild. grab someone. start spinning. finally clean up. stuff
thrown into fire. van loading up. the drums play on. some people have
fallen asleep. but the drums so loud pounding. finally stop. no. stop.
no. six or seven times the band tries to stop. but the audience plays
on. or the band. the drums continue. and finally when there is only
one drummer left. when he tires. does the music stop. it is over. it
is morning. this is crash worship. and mardi gras day has begun.
muse@musespace.com