6 September, 2007
Voices mutter empty promises from the world beyond - the one that keeps turning beyond the window with everyone doing their little bit to keep pushing with palms and feet on wheels, keys and mice. The world is spun from promises. The music of the spheres recites dates, statistics and payments. The cog turns another notch. Black coffeemud and chained cigarettes oil the machine, otherwise grinding and whining at full steam as soon as I’m awake - earlier than I intended, like Wellington saying ‘hallo’ to a red fizzing dawn. London burns with low calorie chatter while the Luddites hide in daytime TV caves like chaos magicians playing with nylon and Oyster cards just enough to make it all work for them, nothing more. I am not a mouse in a wheel. I am not a God turning the lever. I am a man in a world that spins, regardless of my promises, regardless of whether I push it or not - my own music on loop bidding “get it done, get it done”. The world spins, on and on, regardless. Everything is spinning around me, shrieking with the sounds of promises and torture alike. The inferno sounds like a message. “Get it done,” it screams. “Get it done.”
Really interesting blog, I like the way you weave your words, and your ‘Famous People in My Flat’ illustrations are fantastic!
And did you ‘get it done’ today, whatever it was? The world always screams that, I seem to find, people become adapt at tuning in or blanking it out. ;)
Comment by Jayne — 6 September, 2007, 4:09 pm
Just about. I had ‘Army of Me’ by Björk on loop to motivate me, but had to stop when she took it too far and started getting personal.
I’m thinking of weaving a coat out of all the proverbs and axioms I’ve collected for well-meant intentions being only the zygote of action.
Comment by Ben — 6 September, 2007, 5:08 pm
Yes, I hear that shrieking, too. Sometimes it’s "Do more! Do more!", and sometimes it’s "Do better!". Very annoying.
Comment by bohémienne — 9 September, 2007, 1:25 am