The Happy Feat!
The Dancer Prances but Doesn't Know the Answer
The Happy Feat!
There are certain situations in life which, though harrowing, we cannot walk away from without ruining any possibility of future happiness, for the degree to which our decisions will haunt us will always outweigh the fleeting joys in which we engage to escape the screeching ghost of the past.
But the ghost is not kept at bay by the walls we build, anymore than our castles made of sand will withstand the ebb and flow of the eternal sea.
Yet some do the happy dance with happy feet—the happy feat!—and make endless excuses for why walking away was the right thing to do.
I see it for what it is: a never-ending deflection of responsibility. I know it for what it is because I’ve seen it in myself, not as a ghost, but as a monster which would command my attention so as to distract from my responsibilities.
However, I am no Victor Frankenstein, fleeing my creations in horror.
I embrace the poor creature and together we walk difficult paths.
Sometimes I lead, and sometimes I let him wander ahead as I keep a watchful eye.
It would be redundant to call a paradox strange, but it is, after all, a strange paradox: to find that the monster I created to distract my attention from the responsibility of caring—which is to say, from the willingness to suffer on another’s behalf—was the very responsibility for which I would be willing to suffer to care.
***** * *****
The Dancer Prances but Doesn’t Know the Answer
Power does not necessarily indicate ethical, moral, or even technical superiority, for it is too often granted, and not earned.
Strength is won through effort and effort alone.
See it there, in the spotlight?
Do you see the monster you’ve created, staring back at you from across the (light)years?
Do you see yourselves, in your weakened state, too fragile to step out of the bubble in which you’ve placed yourselves without having to condition any environment you enter to receive you?
Do you get it yet, cupcake?
Are you ready for the meat grinder?
Did you think the abattoir only for the herd?
The monster is you.
The spotlight is a mirror.
About the Creator
C. Rommial Butler
C. Rommial Butler is a writer, musician and philosopher from Indianapolis, IN. His works can be found online through multiple streaming services and booksellers.
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'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
By Sean Callaghan6 days ago in Beat
Comments (8)
This was on my 'saved' story list. Tackling some of it today and so glad I started with this one. This line rang so true for me: -Power does not necessarily indicate ethical, moral, or even technical superiority, for it is too often granted, and not earned.- I can think of many examples to support this. Loved how you likened the monster to our own evasive prowess. Deep thoughts in this entire piece!
Strength is won through effort and effort alone.I love this, Charles....and truly your signature...well-wrought! And thanks for being the responsible creator you are.
An important reminder that not only do I contain multitudes, the battle to do the right and moral thing is fought or abrogated daily.
Oooo, I had no idea that a slaughterhouse is also called an abattoir. And yes, I'm a monster. But you also called me a cupcake. So can this monster have a cupcake? Lol. Jokes aside, your piece has so much truth to it and is very thought provoking!
Powerful and piercing, like staring into a mirror that won’t blink. Haunting truth wrapped in poetic fire.
Amazing and well written!!!
Holy crap! Well-wrought. WELL-WROUGHT x10. That was incredible. I may well be guilty of those happy feet 😭 Thankfully these situations don't come up so often; only the more minor ones which chip away at the happiness. Damn, this is a deep-thinking piece. Absolutely loved it.
Deep thoughts with Rommial. Lovely poem, Charles. Can't believe I'd never read the linked story in the last line before <3