Monday, November 17, 2008

Enigma on the Moon

When a Star Hits the Moon

Enigmo was a mime artist
Lost in a maze of heart
He never knew which way to go
To the finish or the start.
Deep within a see through maze
His hands defined the space
And there's so much of it
Between love and death’s embrace.

When a star hits the moon
Its mark can’t be erased
If not for all those falling stars
The moon would have no face...

Enigmo was a falling star
Caught between now and never—
On one hand there was blinding light
The other cast shadows forever.
His tears were either black or white
Depending which way he faced
For tears of joy and sorrow all
Share the same salty taste.

When a star hits the moon...

Enigmo was physical eloquence
Painted in black and white
His stage a crater on the moon
Where the dark side meets the light.
His head in a tower of ivory
Ebony dungeons hold him down
We find him stuck forever 
In phases of smiles and frowns.

When a star hits the moon
Its mark can’t be erased
If not for all those falling star
The moon would have no face...

© 2004 S K des Lauriers



A crane was startled from the marsh. Enigmo watched dreamily as the spaceship blasted off to the moon. His faithful dog Penumbra dreamily eyed the crane.

Living near Kennedy Space Center Enigma watched every one of the launchings. This time his gaze lingerered long after the huge rocket disappears. Penumbra, the dog, nuzzled his hand bringing him back to earth.


As a child Enigmo would be outside playing with his shuttle hot rod shuttle when his mother would yell "Come in and do your homework." He had wanted to be an astronaut but his marks were low in Science.

Enigmo grew up to become a mime artist. He could tell amazing stories just by silently moving his body with 'physical eloquence.' Penumbra used to tag along when Enigmo went to the city to do his act. As each performance ended Penumbra the dog would pass the hat around.

Although Enigmo became famous for the stories he mimed he longed for something greater. When he showered he would daydream of performing on the moon, standing at the place where the dark side met the light... The moon colony was finally finished. Enigmo was approached to fulfill his wildest dreams
 to go there to entertain the troops.

There was only room for 140 pounds on the next flight. Enigmo weighed in at 138. As Enigmo blasted off he imagines that Penumbra the dog must be just a tiny speck; a freckle on the face of the earth.

Upon landing Enigmo was asked to perform. Still dressed in his bulky spacesuit with the plexiglass faceshield He was lead to the stage. The colonists were all in their spacesuits too, waiting outside in an amphitheater carved out of a giant crater Enigmo started with How the Moon Got its Face.


"Since the dawn of time," he mimed, "man has done terrible things to one another. Each time a person did something bad to someone a star would fall like a tear striking the moon. So many injustices turned the surface of the moon to dust. Each meteorite left a crater that could never be erased, so that is why the moon has a sad face."

It was difficult for Enigmo to make the moves that he was accustomed to because his weight was much less than what it was on earth. With his awkward space suit he bounced around slipping in moon-dust. His pantomime didn't make any sense.

His expressive face was hidden behind the face shield so no one could understand what his skit was all about. They didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His own image was reflected in each of the colonists face shields much like the bank of television sets in an appliance store, all on the same channel. No one knew how to react so they just sat there in silence.

Enigmo was disheartened. This was his most moving number. When he had performed this on earth people had been moved to tears. The commander sensed things weren't going well. He took the young mime aside and suggested that they set up to do the performance inside.

This gave Enigmo time to think. "Why must I have the greatest and worst moment of my life in the same instance?" Just then he looked out the porthole and saw an earth rise. With its atmospheric halo the earth was a blue jewel displayed on black velvet with a million diamond stars.

Then he realized that he had been blessed with an incredible gift — to see the earth shining in the heavens.

The next day Enigmo performed, after getting used to the weight difference. With his expressive face unmasked he leapt in the air and pulled his body into the shape of a tear, then came down gently to draw a circle of a moon dust crater. This time though, Enigma mimed how the moon could have a happy face.

(The shower faded. "Enigmo, it's time to do your homework..." )

© 1995 Stefan des Lauriers



LAFF IN THE DARK


Enigmo was a mime artist
Lost in a maze of heart
Never knew which way to go
To the  finish or the start
The maze was quite invisible
His hands defined the space
There is just so much of it
Between love and death’s embrace

Enigmo used to think love
Was just a laff in the dark
Until he got stuck in a maze of mirrors
In life‘s amusement park  

Enigmo was a falling star
Caught between now and never
On one hand shone a blinding light
The other cast shadows forever
Hid tears were diamonds or coals
Depends on which way he faced
Don’t tears or joy and sorrow both
Have the same salty tastse

Enigmo was a mime artist
Painted in black and white
His stage was a crater of moon
Where the far side meets the light
His head in a tower of ivory
Ebony dungeons lower down


Was he frowning through a smile
Or just smiling through a frown?

No comments: