White as a Cuttlefish Bone

Siren
Former collection of Robert Desnos, artist unknown

I found some day-reveries I penned some time ago. I thought I might post them, again, as an excuse to feature some very nice works of art. Also I thought I might benefit from re-reading them because I am trying hard to get back into writing out my thoughts and investigating what sort of person I am.

Number 1-

Rain had lapped up and warbled the windows. The room was obscure. In the shadow like a child secreted beneath a table, I made my thoughts to froth and foam. Holding them in my mouth, I swallowed them unspoken. As the full stain of night bloomed, I took down my drowning bag from its silver nail. I emptied its contents, warm and brackish, onto the floor. What bounty! What ruins! There, an apostle's spoon, and there, a chipped tooth nestled in a baby's shoe. Here, a mother of pearl knife handle, and there, raveled stockings. A green glass jar filled with something viscous, pungent, unknowable. An amethyst brooch. He put on one disguise after another and came nearer. He sidled up close to me and I tried to catch him tight in that sack. He broke loose and fled. I listened to the drip drip of the rainspout.



William Merritt Chase
American (1849–1916)
Still Life with Fish, date unknown
Oil on canvas
17 1/2" x 21 1/2"
The Sullivan Collection, The Peabody College Collection, Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery


Anne Valayer Coster 1769
oil on canvas 130x97 cm
Louvre, Paris