(There's a better title and it's just evading my grasp. Will update if it makes itself known.)

Something Lacking

My hand, when it drops to my side, finds a puzzle:
no skullbone to stroke and no sniff of a muzzle.
No eyelash, no whisker, no cold-sweating nosey,
a cranial dearth. I'm devoid of a nuzzle.

At nights my discomfited feet huddle frozey
despite double duvet. It could be I'm dozy,
or poor circulation's to blame. I've no theory—
yet somehow my chamber is all things but cosy.

Proceeding to work unaccompanied, bleary,
in earphoney trance unaware of exteri
or stimuli. Autist. No sights worth attention.
Except ones that bounce by on leads looking cheery.

My fingerless glove by my side in suspension.
The tram station's cold-shouldered hilltop ascension.
No friend dogs my footsteps. My hearthrug is empty
except for a cat, which is all the more wrenchin'.

read more...

*having nothing interesting to say, rambles about music*

The Scarecrow by Avantasia is well worth making the effort with. I've been listening to it repeatedly, it's grown and I haven't enjoyed an album this much for quite some time. Ayreon's latest, 01011001 (= ascii for the letter Y), is likely to receive the same treatment.

Downside of The Scarecrow: no discernable storyline, discounting the ramblings about love. Upside: no friggin' elves either.

Downside of 01: I resent having Mr L's hippie anti-singularity stuff pushed on me. Neutral comment: it's an unashamed continuance of his Final Experiment storyline, and I like the gall of that even though it's a silly storyline. Upside: general prettiness, dolphins.

Darn, and I can't find the CD case or booklet just now. I've been idly wondering if the psychiatric nurse in The Truth Is In Here from 01 is played by 'Merlin' from Final Experiment. No idea if their voices are at all similar, I just think it'd be funny as all hell.

And you know what? Someday someone will write some beautiful metal about a magpie. Don't get me wrong; crows and ravens are cool to a holy hellbolt sort of degree, even this avowed bird-disliker admits that, but where's the luv for Pica pica?

(I mean. It's pied, it struts, it cackles; why isn't the Trickster crowd at least giving it some credit? 21.6k Google hits for magpie+trickster, 157k for crow+trickster, 226k for raven+trickster. Come on, gang, I know talking birds are by far the coolest, but still!)