Once again, due to nauseousness, I haven't slept. It is 7:40am where I am. Most of my readers are probably still asleep in their beds, dreaming strange or beautiful dreams.
Because I couldn't sleep, I've been re-reading "Exquisite Corpse" by Poppy Z. Brite. I must compliment, Ms. Brite. Her descriptions of various scenes are tantilizing to my literary taste-buds, making me hungry for more of her words. This book is exquisitely disturbing, beautifully and darkly descriptive, enough to make one vomit and yet drink in the words like slow poison. In short, I adore it. I find some parts to be darkly humourous, to the point that the first time I read the book I laughed aloud, which scared my poor Fawny. She, too, read the book, though I don't think she enjoyed it quite as much as I. She didn't find anything even remotely humourous about the book, finding it to be the height and epitome of disturbing.
Let me give you the synopsis as given on the cover of the book:
"To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the ambition of bringing his art to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a dissolute playboy who has pushed his art to limits even Compton hadn't previously imagined. Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vietnamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim."
By now, I'm sure some of you are wondering what is wrong with me. Muttering to yourselves about my disturbing taste in books. To that I grin wickedly. This book is filled with homosexuality at its finest and worst points, murder, cannibalism, drug use, HIV, etc. But it is one of the most poetic pieces of Literature I've ever been blessed to read. So far, I've only recommended it to one person, my Judy-Marie. My beloved, platonic soul-mate. Having many similar tastes I hope that she will be able to appreciate the dark and disturbing riddles of prose that Ms. Brite has presented so eloquently.
This book is not recommended for those who are avidly against homosexuality, are easily upset or have stomach issues. This book will make you vomit if you don't have a strong stomach or if your imagination is avid. Though I would only recommend this book to those of avid intelligence and imagination. If you have neither, you would not enjoy the book at all. I would also only recommend it to those with a strong sense of poetry and who are already lovers of the horrific and disturbing. For example, if your favorite stories include Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart" or "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" or any other such older horror story, this book may be for you. If you are intrigued by the habits of serial killers such as Jack the Ripper, Jeffrey Dahmer or Ed Geins, this book may be for you. I would NOT recommend this book to anyone under the age of 24.
For your intellectual pleasure, a quote from "Exquisite Corpse" by Poppy Z. Brite:
"Horror is the badge of humanity, worn proudly, self-righteously, and often falsely." as said by Andrew Compton in chapter nine of said book.
The book mentions in one part a song by Billie Holliday. "Gloomy Sunday". According to a character in the book, Luke, there is a "Bit of history attached" to it. It was apparently written by a Hungarian composer who committed suicide after writing it. Its first recording inspired many suicides to the point that it was banned in Hungary. At some point it was translated and given to Billie Holliday to sing. It stemmed many more suicides to the point that it was banned again. "It was the only song that ever got banned for being too sad ... twice."
Well this put me in the mood to listen to another Billie Holliday song called "Strange Fruit". "Strange Fruit" for those who don't know, is basically a long beautiful description of lynchings of black people in the 60's. I cannot imagine a better singer for that particular song. Billie has a slightly smoky voice, one that reverberates within your soul and scratches words into your eardrums. A beautiful woman, singing beautifully haunting songs in the early starkness of this dawning day.
Now, segueing into my last topic of the day.
Yesterday was spent crying over child molesters/rapists and whether or not they should be put to death or chemically/surgically castrated. As most of you know from one of my previous blogs, I was raped and molested as a child and as a teenager. I apologize for my outspokenness on these topics, but I still feel that it is right to put someone to death who sexually harms a child in any way, shape or form. I will always feel this way, as Fawn says, I think like a survivor. As one who has survived said horrors that humanity has to offer, I am for anything that might prevent it from happening to any other children or person.
But Fawn made excellent points, all of which I had to agree with, which I didn't want to.
1. Chemical Castration doesn't always work.
2. Surgical Castration may prevent the body from being able to appease itself in said practices, but does not prevent the person from doing said behaviour ever again with other objects that could cause even worse damage. All that is accomplished is pissing off said offender so that they take it out even more violently upon their chosen victim.
3. The root cause of the problem goes all the way up to the government. And since one can't take out the government, trying to fix the smaller problems is like trying to fix a crack in a dam when the levee is broken. One must fix the levee first, before trying to fix the little crack.
4. I, Sarai, can do absolutely nothing to fix said problems. I am one person against decades of corruption. And while I hate the helpless feeling that comes with knowing said information, Fawn is right. I hate it when she is right on topics like this. It is almost enough to make one stop living, but no matter what, I refuse to sit back on my ass and watch this stuff go on. I'm going to fight, because I don't want to see more young women and men like me who are struggling to make sense of why this shit happened to them.
I can't win against the nation, like Nanahara Shuya (Battle Royale II), but I can sure as hell try. Fawn says this is stupid and she is right. But once again, I'm thinking in survivor mode. Not logic mode.
That is all for now, Ladies and Gents, my stomach is killing me and I would hate to throw up on my keyboard. That would be bad. Love to you all. Feel free to drop me a line every now and again *hint, hint* *wink, wink*. I would love to get some feedback or at least a message fighting me on my topics. IDK, maybe that is to much to ask for. *shrug*
Sarai
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment