JUST BECAUSE

"If you are a man of this life" -- Ghazal 3277

if you are a man of this life

then march on this path like a man

or retire and take refuge in your house since

you're not ready for this battle

real men drank a thousand seas

and still died of thirst

you only had a cup

yet boasted of overflowing

you claimed to reach your quest

you'll raise all the dustyet you've travelled

no distance you've left no mark

now humbly turn to dust

under the gallop of real men

then you'll rise and

become a part of their journey

if you crawl for years on the path of your quest

do not yield to grief

do not submit to distress--

Ode (Ghazal) 3277

Translated by Nader Khalili

Rumi: Fountain of FireCal-Earth Press, 1994

TWO A CLOCK IN THE MORNING

.........On the last twenty pages.

In about two weeks give or take a day or so, my publisher will be the first person in the world to be able to sit down and read it from cover to cover.

Then I'm checking myself into the hospital for observation.

I hope all of you who made the pilgrimage to San Diego stopped by the Century Guild booth and said hello.They had more (good) art in one place outside of the Louvre.

Current play list to survive book:

Edgar Froese ambient collection.

Peter Murphy deep

FSOL dead cities.

Midival Punditz hello hello

Be peaceful,

M.Z.

THE MARK OF CANE.

It's official. I'm now a real true curmudgeon.

I just bought my first cane.

I adjusted to the fact that my back is not going to get better, as it's the nature of things ,a bit better than Karen did. She saw it as sad, which is a valid point of view, as the inevitable years of abuse and neglect pile up on me. But, to tell the truth, to me it seemed perfectly natural. It's just what it is. Don't get me wrong, I don't need it all the time, just comes in handy for walking distances and what not. And, it would be nice to have never needed one to begin with, but I still now own a cane. It's sleek, black and heavy, and in the right circumstances, it could look a bit threatening. Especially attached to me.

I have to wonder if they'll let me on an airplane with it?

Now I need one a bit dressier.

On another note, one that brings with it a certain bittersweet sense of happiness, Karen's younger sister Lori and her two sons left a few days ago after a lovely week here from Italy. It was nothing but shear delight to finally met the voice from the phone at last. Lori Max and Nicalo, ( shame on me for not being sure just how he spells that, one "L" or two? two "CC's?) are just great people to know, intelligent, artistic and down to earth, and better house guests one could not ask for. Our home still feels the absence as Do Karen I both. I have to admit, that with a bum back, work pressures and all, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I only with I had a photo or two to share.

Right then: the work.

The book proceeds closer each day towards it's date with the printer when it stops becoming an albatross and blooms into a large, somewhat perverse swan.

It's strange to say this after all this time, but having to examine and touch up each and every page has become a trip down a long dark alley filled with sharp and subtle devices for making the artist flinch at the thing he's made. This will be a lot tougher the read than even I first thought. But the bugger has turned eighteen and surly and it's time it moved out and got a job.

Again, it's the nature of the thing.

I look forward to the time the missus and I can have a little piece and quiet around here.

And finally, I BEG you, to please stop and see the lovely Tom Negovan and the fetching Stuart and the Century Guild booth at the the San Diego show coming up. I have some personal work there for sale and the ART they have to show, sell and explain will leave you refreshed and put real lead in your respective pencils. Promise. But dear friends, before that I strongly urge you all the make a pilgrimage the Chicago the participate in the truly massive Dave McKean-a-thon the Guild is putting on this weekend.........thrills! art! Film! Dave McKean! Fun Fun Fun!!!

I mean, what else are gonna do? Order out and sit on the sofa watching pay per view and fart?

Get thee some Culture damn it.........

On that note, have a nice day.

M.Z.

from the dead zone..........

I'm working nearly around the clock to get this bestial book ready for publication. I'm dead tired and half insane from revisiting the whole thing all over again. It's almost a strange emotional "muscle memory" going over each page once more. I seem to be in this weird time/ space loop of when and now that makes for a nerve wracking day indeed. And I've got to do all again once the thing is ship-shape art-wise for the finished script paste-up.

And I've already started writing and thumb nailing the sophomore effort.

Remind me again why I do this, please.

Though I suppose that when the book of book arrives from the press it will feel really good. Kind of like not hitting ones head against a brick wall......blessed relief.

I'm still hoping against hope for a Christmas release. That would be lovely, no? You could give the gift of angst and terror to all your friends.

And before I go collapse, I'd like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to those of you who bothered to reply to my last post...it means more than I can say to have some response to the news.

I live in a strangely isolated place that never seems to pay back my efforts, and your comments really do lighten the load.

When all is said and done, I truly hope you enjoy "Fracture", because no matter how much I bitch and moan sometimes, I love what I do more every day.

Thank you.

M.Z.