AQUATELOS A Thesis Presented to the Faculty ... - Cornell University

1. CLOUD MODIFICATIONS
(Score: Luke Howard; Mise en scène: Jacques)
i. Hard Candy
Sideways the knowledge came. First they had no sense of it. Then, and
then—ants boiled up from sidewalk’s taffy
fuzzy seams
frantic lava
Chocolate shavings left out to melt— Then they sensed sugar might be a
general
cause.
an empty shoebox filled
Tar bead eyes they squeezed from dark rivers on noon roads
they squeezed
the eyes
Closed. Then, and then—frigid hamster, three pink grubs gone
before the mother
stopped
One survived with a scar, chip from an ear, that made him the hero
never journeyed limp by turns
And they hesitated when called to supper. Then, and then—snakeflash in the
gully
marzipan coil—
but no—
Then, and then, it rained, worms exploded from nothing, illustrated the yard
dry ampersands
with little “c”s
Twigs of red licorice—but no—a little thing’s last wisdom vetted on green
flesh
Mommy’s swelled up
squirming gut
Then illness, the ripened melon tapped to heal her, and for weeks
she nursed
ice cream bowls
They turned eager for it, smashed potato bugs for spice, tore
white powder
wings
Caught a bunny and sheared its ears, they were not sweet.
Then—
and then—
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