Meaningless Slaughter

 Decade after decade. 

Wealthy family to wealthy family. 

Coincide for power. 

Its all meaningless. 

Meaningless slaughter.

Lives lost.

Dangerous feats.

A clamor arises,
And the cynical wins.

The despot laughs,
We are indisposed,
Its just meaningless slaughter.
Right?

Abortions

     As you probably already know, abortions are to take out a baby before born, and before cognitive functions start (thinking). Many abortions are for teens, some who don't want the pressure of having a child, and others who were raped, and never had a choice in the matter.
     Many religious politicians, such as republicans or Tea Party members, speak out against abortions. They believe it is murder of young children, and the mother is heartless. What strikes me as funny is that most of the politicians are 65 year old men, who have lead a soft, unharmed life, and have no idea what it is like to have a child, or not have the financial support to raise a child.
     Now I do not know the details of the bill that would ban abortions from Kansas, or to withdraw taxpayer money, but I do know choice is freedom. And isn't this a free country?

In the eyes of Clarice Orsini

         Here I am. Sitting awaiting destiny. Maybe life was supposed to be great for me. But now I'm starting to reject that feeling. Why couldn't every one live in peace and harmony together? But of course not; this is the renaissance Catholic Church.

~~~

         As I sat watching my newborn son in Lorenzo's arms, I got a feeling of protection, as if he was in danger. But that's crazy. We're well within the heavily guarded fortress of The Medici. I looked at my husband who had now become a great friend to me. I knew there we're assassination plots against him, even if he wants me in the dark. And it was almost Easter. The church was to busy for preparations to have assassins out and about. I must be paranoid.

~~~

         I remember the day we got married. Which is good considering if I didn't, I would have problems. We said our vows under the dome in the Cathedral in Florence. I always had an eye for power, to which my Dad used full advantage. I felt uncomfortable around Lorenzo, knowing what he would become. My Dad naturally married me off to him as soon as possible.

~~~

         As I walk into the Cathedral, on Easter, I get that sense of danger again. I hold my son closer, and shush my other children. We sit down in the front pew as always, and listen to the endless sermon. When it is finally over, and I feel as though I will fall from boredom, Giuliano nudges me discreetly. I snap out of the daze and accept my communion. Lorenzo and Giuliano get up next tho me and in a flash, the Pope himself has whipped out a knife from his belt. Before I can utter a scream, Giuliano is on the ground being stabbed. The hot blood splatters and I taste the crudeness on my tongue.I don't realize I'm screaming until I stop, and unhinge myself from Lorenzo. And I thought I was being paranoid.

~~~

         Looking back I realize how lucky Lorenzo was. He barely escaped with his life, and felt mercy for those he had to inflict injury on. Surly seeing your beloved one hanging from the window of The Medici palace is frightening, but its a better, quicker death than seeing your brother stabbed 19 times. I have barely avoided death. Again.

M7 Mistaken for a Griot

     I love talking. The only thing that holds me back from dance is the no noise part. When I became serious about it, I had to do entire classes with out noise except  for the teacher talking-not even music, all so we could learn to be silent. That was one thing about being in medieval Africa, you were praised for your voice. I was chattering to the locals about Islam, music, and some traditions when a little girl quietly tugged on my kente cloth robe. I looked down and she said "Are you a griot? Most people don't like to talk as much,  except for me. I will be a griot someday, male or not"
     I was so moved by her short inspirational speech that I answered-maybe to quickly- that I indeed was. She beamed and went to her mom, happy to retell the story. "Are you really a griot? You don't look like one. Tell a story, ma'am." He said, a little suspiciously, while staying respectful. Most women my age already had three kids in their day and age. I had remembered a story that my nanny had told me years ago, about the spider Anansi. The specific story was about how he turned an ear of corn into 100 slaves. I didn't really like the story, but it was the only folktale I could remember. So I started....
     "Anansi was one of God's chosen, and he lived in human form before he became a spider. One day he asked God for a simple ear of corn, promising that he would repay God with one hundred servants. God was always amused by the boastful and resourceful Anansi, and gave him the ear of corn." This reminded my of Rue, who was always a little on the boastful side.
     "Anansi set out with the ear and came to a African village to rest. He told the chief of the village that he had a sacred ear of corn from God and needed both a place to sleep for the night and a safe place to keep the treasure. The chief treated Anansi as an honored guest and gave him a thatched-roof house to stay in, showing him a hiding place in the roof. During the night, while the entire village was fast asleep, Anansi took the corn and fed it to the chickens." What an awful thing to do, I thought silently.
     "The next morning Anansi woke the village with his cries. "What happened to the sacred corn? Who stole it? Certainly God will bring great punishment on this village!" He made such a fuss that the villagers begged him to take a whole bushel of corn as a demonstration of their apologies. He then set down the road with the bushel of corn until it grew too heavy for him to carry. He then met a man on the road who had a chicken, and Anansi exchanged the corn for the chicken."
     "When Anansi arrived at the next village, he asked for a place to stay and a safe place to keep the "sacred" chicken. In this new village, Anansi was again treated as an honored guest, a great feast was held in his honor, and he was shown a house to stay in and given a safe place for the chicken. During the night Anansi butchered the chicken and smeared its blood and feathers on the door of the chief's house. In the morning he woke everyone with his cries, "The sacred chicken has been killed! Surely God will destroy this village for allowing this to happen!" The frightened villagers begged Anansi to take ten of their finest sheep as a token of their sincere apology." He seems like a very unholy  man to me.
      "Anansi drove the sheep down the road until he came to a group of men carrying a corpse. He asked the men whose body they were carrying. The men answered that a traveler had died in their village and they were bearing the body home for a proper burial. Anansi then exchanged the sheep for the corpse and set out down the road. At the next village, Anansi told the people that the corpse was a son of God who was sleeping. He told them to be very quiet in order not to wake this important guest. The people in this village, too, held a great feast and treated Anansi as royalty. 
When morning came, Anansi told the villagers that he was having a hard time waking the "son of God" from sleep, and he asked their help. They started by beating drums, and the visitor remained asleep." Then they banged pots and pans, but he was still "asleep." Then the villagers pounded on the visitor's chest, and he still didn't stir."
     "All of a sudden, Anansi cried out, "You have killed him! You have killed a son of God! Oh, no! Certainly God will destroy this whole village, if not the entire world!" The terrified villagers then told Anansi that he could pick one hundred of their finest young men as slaves if only he would appeal to God to save them."
     "So Anansi returned to God, having turned one ear of corn into one hundred slaves." I took a deep breath, slightly unsure of how I had remembered that. All of the children looked expectantly at me, waiting for more.
     "Why was Anansi such a trickster? He didn't seem very holy to me," The little boy from before asked.
     " I guess that's how some people get through life. Sometimes there's no such thing as magic." I answered with a sense of finality, reflecting on how I didn't want to go. 
     " I've never heard that story before. I really liked it." The little girl said. And I realized I'd just started the legacy of Anansi. Crazy how history works huh?

M5 The great city of Jenne-Jeno

     West Africa was such a refreshing place. The refreshing sun shined into the refreshingly cool hut, surrounded by a circular wall that was 10 feet wide and 13 feet tall, that provided refreshing security. I stepped out into the overly warm sunlight of the African winter. Even in the winter its warm, about eighty degrees. I hugged my billowing cotton sarong around me trudged forward into the sand.
     As I trudged up yo one of the merchants selling blue silk from Spain, I noticed someone approach behind me. "How much for a yard?" I asked the stand owner.
    "Half an ounce of gold," He replied, his voice surprisingly young.
Suddenly the man behind me swung at me with a small knife, and my years of dance kicked into place. Adrenaline surged through me as I ducked and spun around to face him at the same time, then kicked him squarely in the jaw, unleashing my inner warrior princess. Panting, I left the stand at a run without saying anything. Most of the cities were very safe, but apparently a bandit was left uncaptured.
     I stepped into an alley way between the mud brick huts, and regained myself. I really needed some food and material, so I turned around and went back to the market place.
     "Back again, ma'dear? Most people who are almost jumped aren't seen for a while." He explained to me.
     " I've always been known as a fighter, and I guess defense comes naturally. Plus my sister was always huge on being prepared for a fight. Don't get me wrong, she doesn't like fights, but she's big on being prepared."
     " Where is she? You act like you haven't seen her in a while. Has she already been wed?"
     " No, no. She is traveling like me, but sometimes I miss her so much... I guess I want to visit her. If I know where she is." I realized
     "Well, how about you get some fresh fruit, and some of this silk, and for making polite conversation, I'll give it to you for half off."
     "That is so nice of you. Thank you." I said. I turned on my heel with my goods in hand, and scurried to my refreshing hut, ready for a change in scenery.

M2 The Black Death

          "Are you ready, Sis?" I asked Rue, my fraternal twin sister.
          "Totally ready." She replied, turning so we were back to back. I lightly tapped her hand, and slipped a small, well-cut diamond into her hand. I had gotten it on my last mission to Europe. Apparently we were going to Europe for tons of missions, and we were supposed to stay overnight. I packed my bubble tent, the super compact one that is the size of a mansion, but folds into the size of a compact mirror. My bag was packed, and I watched Rue get into her Porsche, her time traveling device. I triple foetted, and felt the wind rush past my ears as I became exceedingly dizzy.
          My surroundings: absolutely disgusting. The streets were ankle deep in garbage, decomposing bodies (I AM NOT KIDDING!!!), and human waste. Gah. As I squelched around in the indispensable muck, I finally found Rue. I was speechless. As we staggered around, we noticed everyone was indoors, shaking vibrantly, or hitting themselves like they were in pain. Plus the sky (beautiful blue with perfect clouds) completely stood out
          "The bubonic plague," I whispered.
          "I feel really warm," Rue said to me. Uh-oh.
          She practically fell against me. She didn't have to say anything, I could practically hear her say I'm gonna barf. She did (fortunately away from my new shoes).
          " Ack! Muscle cramps," Rue said, doubling over in pain. Then the scariest thing I have ever seen happened. She started having seizures. I felt faint. She was shaking and her eyes were crazy. I would say her mouth was foaming for kicks, but let's try to be sensible. Then she blacked out.
          The next twelve hours were the worst of my life. As I catered to her needs, Rue would rapidly change from Serengeti hot to Antarctic cold. I started to notice a small scar appear on the back of her neck around 4 p.m. Then she got super pink. I was seriously worried, so I gave Rue a Tylenol.
         Then the weirdest thing ever happened. The pinkness in her skin disappeared. She cooled down. Her muscles stopped twitching. Then miracles of miracles, she woke up unscathed. I walked her to her car, and revved the engine. Modern day NYC appeared on the other side of the windows. I dragged her to her to her car and started bawling. I was so scared that I had lost her, I knew I would never under or over protect her. She was barely my younger sister (28 seconds), but I felt responsible for her 4 days out of 5. I looked at her and knew the feeling was mutual. "How did you cure me?" Rue asked.
"Tylenol" I said with a tear soaked grin. 
   

M1 Details

          As I flexed my foot, my pointe shoe refrained. I stepped on my toes and winced. It hurts, okay? I immediately twisted into the triple foette turn I was so used to, closed my eyes, and imagined medieval Europe. I felt wind rushing past my ears, and experienced a quick head-ache. When I opened my eyes, I knew I had traveled 650 years into the past.
          When I opened my eyes I saw the most beautiful blue sky. It was like Greece times 50! The fresh castle looked nothing like the crumbling relics today. Bright colors contrasted the stone, making the lush green meadow stand out amongst the adjacent castle. The gold of a lords wear was striking, because I could tell it was whiter than normal gold. I knew I was lingering, but I noticed the smell of fresh bread, which reminded me I gave my extras to Rue at dinner.
          As I wandered into the castle, I found a silver platter with some warm bread. The grainy silver was ornately decorated with sharp gemstones. The warm bread was hearty, and had nut and raisins in it. When I heard the clang of swords I rushed to the window, only to see two knights training. The elaborated reds, greens, and a dusty brown peeked out between the cracks of armor. I turned and ran outside for no reason except to run.
          The stiff grass sponged beneath my feet. As I walked along, I found an old path. The dull stones grabbed at my feet as I walked. Then, laying in the middle of the road I found an old wooden box. I opened it  and was surprised to see hundreds of little diamonds. They were sharp against my fingers as I tested one on my compact mirror. Sure enough they were real.
          After I had taken the smallest diamond, and left the rest with a poor widower, I found a bramble of honeysuckles.  Remembering back to my youth, sucking the sweet flowers at the lake in Maine, I took a handful and sat down. Sucking the last drop of nectar out of the flowers, I put my pointe shoes on and foetted back to the present. I'll rest up and get supplies, then return for the time being, I thought

                                                          Luv,
                                                                                             Glimmer