What is it we know of this? Fish?
It’s not an eel, or the famous lantern-bearing ugly of the underworld. I feel we can understand our mysterious friend better if we look at OTIS THE MOUNTAIN MAN OF OREGON.
OTIS nurture, hunt, plant, eat, and OTIS rest. OTIS rest by the river in his small camp made for a small presence. OTIS be here for he left the city due to just too much damn bullshit.
Anywho, we here now by the river, let it wash away the dirty on our hands let it roll on by.
OTIS keep a few tools only he and THE MOTHA would know how to use. Also, a pot, a pipe and an old acoustic guitar made of Cocabola wood, held together with the glue of love. The instrument plays music and screams mystery and purpose. The guitar is unlike any you and I have seen; it’s an acoustic guitar with not one standard round hole in the middle, but two smaller holes that open up at the ends of the middle hole. Maybe the best way to describe this is looking at an 8 made inside out or two igloos one upside down and the other on top still sealed and still warm. Inside them are thin lengths of wood stretching different directions which makes up a small map for sound to spirit. These pieces inside move the tune to a place down river, where the land opens to the sea where the confines of the forest get a fresh breath from the great blue sea, where the ‘Lectric Water Fish dance underneath.
OTIS loved The Greats; Coltrane, Garcia, Ra, Weir, Dolphy, but here in this place there is no room for what has already happened – only what really is happening. THE MOTHA’s song is a song that is really happening, here and now, and always in between. The Temple of a man we know as OTIS hums to the hums of the river, and strums day and night in the breath of where the river opens into the sea, greatly.
At OTIS spot there is a log where he sits, with his guitar facing out to the sea where be a fish, one ‘Lectric Water Fish in a dancing fit. When the moonlight is clear and bright they dance together. They share a song you can see, a vibrating song where you dig that now is forever and in this moment, the eternal moment. OTIS love, hunt, nurture, eat, and plant. Never missing a chance to be a part of the dance. Forever loving and grateful OTIS is for he takes his chance to be a part of the dance. I hope you too can hear their songs for they are very nice and pleasant in the ears.
Clear and bright
bye and bye,
I am yours and you are mine
love will see us through right here into the beginning of time.
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Ztu Taylor was raised in the roaming hills northwest of San Francisco and found himself happily relocated in its sister city of New Orleans. Ztu tries to write every day as a means of making the unconscious, conscious and every once in a while it comes out legible and in story form, some might even say, poetic.
If you’ve enjoyed Ztu’s short fiction, be sure to check out some of Big Easy Magazine’s previously featured short stories by Nolan, Adam, Alex, Fritz and Camille!
