The American Goldfinch:
“Our First Meeting and Conversation with King Carduelis Tristis and his Court.”
©2013 Marcus James Christian, marcusunlimited.
After being blessed by the company of You and Yours, I longed for our
collaborations and various discussions on a wide array of subjects. Each
of such discussions brought wonderful justifications to the feelings I
had always previously held in regards to the overall way of things. The
mere existence of You and Yours was to me a verification that there were
many better ways to attend to many of life’s various issues.
One day, while on a walking discussion with You and Yours, we came to a
clearing in one of the forests upon our newest estate’s grounds. Simply
being within the space of the clearing caused us to feel exceptionally
beauteous good feelings. The clearing was hewn entirely by the
unperturbed progression of nature. Yet its appearance seemed to suggest
that there was some form of additional purpose to its courtyard-like
design. The rich black earth seemed like a carpet which was surrounded
by furniture in the form of mostly large gray stones of individually
unique shapes and variances in size. Grand walls—columned with evergreen
trunks—stood like pillars holding up the open skylight above the
enchanted clearing.
As the sunlight reached down through the skylight, it made the
illumination of the mobile diamond fortress, which in my possession you
traveled safely within, its first priority. Through such an endeavor the
light of the sun was multiplied and transformed into shimmering tones
through which you emerged to a height and volume noticeably more similar
to that of my own. Upon this, we were joined by a choir, rich with
audible and visible magnificence. The arriving choir consisted of the
American Goldfinch in respectable numbers. Though only those humans
abiding by certain parameters of Ahimsa could see You and Yours, in your
enchanted forms, it was obvious that the gilded birds could see you as
clearly as they could the indestructible beams of sunlight that leaned
against the atmosphere between heaven and earth. Their adorably curved
heads moved about like ballpoint pens drawing angular shapes as they
tracked each of your flickers, flashes and changes in position. Some
amongst their leagues hopped after you, and took short flights to keep
up with You and Yours walked in a circle admiring the enchantments of
the clearing and all of its miraculous design elements.
Suddenly the American Goldfinches organized themselves into a circular
perimeter about the open center of the clearing. The center of the
distant sun backlit a flickering silhouette which played with the light
emanating throughout the clearing. You and Yours placed your hands upon
my shoulders and good feelings radiated from us and everything in our
midst. From the sun formed silhouette above, there descended another
American Goldfinch arriving in singular fashion. He brought with him a
uniquely noble and important aura which coincided with an additional
phenomena resulting in the most inspiring and startling of surprises
upon my consciousness . Suddenly, all of the American Goldfinches
gathered there were as easy for me to understand as the vernacular of
the surroundings most familiar to me throughout the dominant percentage
of my conscious physical existence.
From the crowd, of the brilliantly colored birds, came the most lovely
of communications escorted gently into my ears upon translucent tones:
“King … Oh, it’s the King, our King … Make way, make way.” they said.
These and similar statements, billowed forth from the crowd of the
American Goldfinches gathered there in the woods, and became pleasantly
and instantly apparent to me. Their utterances of respect were clearly
devoid of the tone of forced requirement. It was evidently clear that
the league honored their king through desire.
I sought the eyes of You and Yours and in silence we agreed upon the
wonderment of the occasion. One miracle led to the next and thus there
came forth the grand addendum to the glorious events of that day. King
Carduelis Tristis—as he later became known to me—walked forward and
addressed us directly, and we understood his every word. “Welcome fellow royals. I extend our gratitude for your honorable visit to one of our many courtyards.” he said.
King
Carduelis continued:”What brings you here to this courtyard which we
share with the Alces, the Bos Primigenius, and other select associates.”
Between
the King’s words he would respectfully transition his gaze upon each of
us, letting us know that he considered us a highly important audience
to his communications. I also believe that he admired our appearances in
the same manner that we admired his and the other highly attractive
American Goldfinches which stood as his loyal entourage.
I
spoke in the same respectful manner I would utilize to address any
worthwhile monarch: “Well Sir, first off it is an honor to be in your
company. Regarding the nature of our visit, well, we are here as the
result of my fortune within the kingdoms of men, through which I have
been bequeathed the ownership of this estate. Yet, I desire only to care
for and nurture this space which is not only mine, but yours as well.”
The
Kings court of American Goldfinches reacted verbally to my statements:
“Oh my that is wonderful … splendid … he and those with him are fine
sharers … caring, and considerate.”
“Splendid.”
said King Carduelis Tristis. “My feelings are certain that you are an
ally, welcome amongst us, both you, and You and Yours.”
The King offered each of us a humble nod of acceptance to which we gladly returned in like fashion.
I
had temporarily set down a small satchel, which contained my journal.
It had slid to the open end of the carrier and had its pages gently
breeze blown open to one of my most current operatic compositions, which
was then a work in progress. One of the maidens of the King’s court
began analyzing and studying the pages, which the journal had fallen
open to. The page under her observation contained various gestural
sketches, texts and musical notations, in light grey tones of
exploratory pencil strokes. I recognized she was a maiden in her King’s
court, as opposed to a knight or other form of male American Goldfinch,
as her colors were softer than the King’s bold yellow-gold coat.
“Sir,” she said. “Will you complete … this one?” A feather tip of her outstretched wing pointed to a sketch.
“I certainly had planned to,” I responded, “however, the lyrics have not yet come clear to me.”
“Oh,” she said. “It is because it should simply be ‘La,’ and then ‘La-la-la,’ again.
I paused to look at You and Yours to see nods of agreement with her claim, and suddenly, I knew the suggestion was correct.
“Of
course,” I said. “To rise above the limitations of mortal languages,
‘La,’ and then ‘La-la-la,’ again. Of course, why was that not clear to
me sooner?”
The
epiphany arrived in an envelope of good feelings and King Carduelis
Tristis was imbued with great pride at the unanimous admiration for his
court maiden’s well received advice.
“Yes,” said the proud king. “I am surrounded by brilliant and beautiful maidens, am I not.”
“Sir, thou art so.” I replied with a slight bow and a respectful nod of agreement.
The
King became pleasantly distracted by something in the distance and then
said: “New friends, my court and I must attend to another matter
temporarily. Thus concludes our current first conversation, please
assure me it will not be our last?” he said.
“The first of many, most certainly.” I replied, along with a shimmering layer of agreement vocalized by You and Yours.
With
hops, skips and jumps, the American Goldfinches took to the airs above
our newest estate. Their energy and enthusiasm was positively contagious
and enlivening. You and Yours then asked to return to the interior of
your Diamond Fortress to which I gladly obliged in the assistance of.
Through the woods and mist of miracles we went, upon the winding and
inspiring walking paths of our enchanted new estate. All the while I was
considering where the “La’s,” and “La-la-la’s” would go upon the staves
of my next operatic composition, which was enthusiastically a divine
collaboration with You, Yours and the American Goldfinch.
Additional works by Marcus James Christian (pseudonymous as Marcus Unlimited) are available through: http://www.youtube.com/user/marcusunlimited http://marcusunlimited.org/ and Apple iTunes.
