This is my world. me. still in progress. much to come.
Home of the Ongoing Space Viking History
This is my world. me. still in progress. much to come.
Home of the Ongoing Space Viking History
Allen, Brooke. Dracula with Introduction and Notes by Brooke Allen. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003. Print
"Bram Stoker." Find A Grave. Find A Grave, Web. 3 May 2010. <http://www.findagrave.com/>.
"Dracula." SparkNotes. 2010. Web. 3 May 2010. <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/dracula/themes.html>.
Haggerty, Bridget . "A Tribute to Bram Stoker." Irish Culture and Customs. 18 Oct. 2006. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. <http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AWriters/BramStoker.html>.
Merriman, C.D. . "Bram Stoker." The Literature Network. Jalic Inc., 2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2010. <http://www.online-literature.com/stoker/>
"Vampire Literature." Wikipedia. Wikipedia, Web. 3 May 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_literature>.
When the Trees Outshone the Sun
When upon the mossy rocks I climbed
I took my small respite
And I smelled the clean air, took it in, and made it mine.
I stole an insight of the land,
The great mounded rocks and saw such blight:
(Very long ago) of sleeping giants, felled by Man’s demand.
The trees hung low,
With promise of cool leaves, so I moved on
Into their comforting fingers, though some may call them boughs.
The wind moved through the trees,
Those leafy greatened obelisks, and gave song
In communion with my thoughts; a reverent sea.
And now the trees themselves gave voice,
Their outstretched arms all filled with birds,
It filled the windows of my mind, to see nature’s simple rejoice.
And still I climbed the rocky hills,
My hands met cuts from bark and rock,
Such sharp-fanged persistence, have those foes of my climbing will!
When my climb finally did end
I looked upon the forest and beheld, my gaze and mind a lock,
On Rocks and trees as they began to blend.
The sunset came but not looked me,
I merely saw the land, and smiled
And remembered and bid goodbye to those pretty trees.
The sun hath fury and hath shine,
But its beauty did not overtake the wonder of my climb.
Toni Hill
Mrs. Norman
English 12 B
7 May 2010
Bram Stoker--Vampires Bloated with Blood, Not Love
Bram Stoker’s greatest literary work is easily Dracula. At the time it was regarded as cheap horror, another dime-a-dozen story. However, this novel has proven to be far more prolific than anyone could have first imagined. Millions of other works and forms of entertainment can trace the roots of the integral parts of their plot to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The work lives on, the longevity extended to Stoker himself.
Bram Stoker was born in November, 1847. In his younger years he was very frail and sickly. Until he was seven years of age he could not even walk without some from of help he was so weak. He was even bled to improve his condition (Allen 1). That being so, he was often in bed and listened to stories his Mother told him (Haggerty 1). Despite the tribulations he experience when very young, once he grew older and entered prepatory school he became very healthy and even competed in athletics (Allen 1). He continued in his father’s line of work, as was expected of him. He got really into theater and acting, and even did unpaid work as a drama critic. In so being he met his long-lasting friend and actor Henry Irving. He spent a good deal of his adult life with Irving, (In fact, he even named his son Irving!) even though Irving was sometimes very cruel and demeaning to Stoker. Irving also came into possession of a theater which he allowed Stoker to become manager of. Soon after this he married his wife Florence Balcombe, who he didn’t have so warm a relationship with (Allen xx). A year after joining in the theater with Irving, Stoker wrote his first book, The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, which was about his career before the theater (Allen 1). In the next few years before Dracula, Stoker accomplished a few other things of note. Including: the Bronze Medal from the Royal Humane Society for trying to prevent a suicide, he also studied law and wrote an essay on America. Before Dracula, Stoker published approximately fifteen stories. Then Stoker started work on his most famous novel, Dracula. Once written it was performed in his theater. There is speculation that he may have even written the role of Count Dracula specifically for Irving to play, as he often played the strong, lead characters (Allen xxi). Irving did not eventually end up playing the role, as he thought it was too small a role since the Count is not onstage quite as much as was Irving’s preference. Henry Irving died in 1905 and with him, died Stoker’s interest in theater. Despite their long friendship, Stoker was not mentioned at all in Irving’s Will (Allen xxii).
My name is Khenarthi Fadomai van Alder.
But that, of course, is not so relevant in the grand scheme of thing. However, the circumstance in which I, Khenarthi Fadomai van Alder, find myself is of utmost importance. Quite imperative, actually. That you know. That someone does. Before we get to specifics and details, though, I must stress that people like me do exist. Not a single word is a lie.
First, no, silver does not have any adverse effects to my kind at all. As far as bullets go, a hot fast-moving bone-shattering chunk of metal is as sure to do the same amount of harm to me as anyone. Secondly, the moon has nothing to do with transformation, voluntary or otherwise. Third, and most definitive in my character; I am not an animal. I behave like a civilized being even when some more ‘human’ beings act like the primates they have so much in common with. And Fourth, I am not immortal. No being can be. It is against Nature. Though I will admit I’ve heard of many rumors that are merely posturing of other beings that are similarly categorized as ‘Beyond Natural’ like myself. And though I’m worlds different from you, human, I’m not particularly outstanding from one of my fellows. Some who do not fully understand may consider the way in which I am a unique gift. A wondrous thing Nature has given me. The truth of the matter is, it is only a nuisance .
I have an understandably fast metabolism, I must partake of all manner of supplements and vitamins. To keep the inner animal balanced with the outward gentle soul I undergo hours of restful meditation and other more dubious treatments. But I think it would be best to explain those later. When I have time. To tell you of the culture.
Something else I should explain. My fellows have a unique caste system based upon element. I use the term ‘element’ loosely. It is really more the type of soul, the type of essence each of us possess. The term element is easier to use, and it is the term my people use. But it is, of course, not the element itself of fire, for example. It is an essence. That we have likened to be fiery, and thus the element is Fire. Because the element is the core of our being, our temperaments and personalities and many other things can be vaguely encompassed into one element. There are different strengths of element, and the culture I live in has more or less segregated each element and made certain elements higher in hierarchy than others. In ascending order the “levels” of element are thus: earth, water, fire, Air, Metal, and Moonlight. I am of mid-rank. Air. Though it is still considered to be of the upper levels of caste. Those with the element of Moonlight are royal. They have always been so. They rule as our monarchs. Under those elements, there are three considered to be of ‘Upper’ Element. These are Metal, Air, and fire. And under those are the ‘Lower’ elements: water and earth. There is a class under those, The Shamed Ones, those with no element. We don’t speak of them.
Of course the Upper elements are generally worried with ranking and being seen with the right people, and making connections with those of a higher social rank than themselves. And the Lower elements are constantly scrabbling and scraping to rise to more privilege. And the Royal Moon-touched Moonlight elements are on lofty pedestals, high and god-like above the rest. There are only a few of them. And though like I mentioned before, the moon has nothing to do with transformation, our culture and practices revolve around the Moon, so it only makes sense that those of Moonlight are highest.
Those of Metal alignment are the courtiers. The rich, the fabulous. They are not quite royalty, but close enough in their own estimation. And Then there are the Airs. We are most like upper vassals. Though the truth of the matter is, far many more of us are glorified servants. Musicians. Artists. The fires are servants, serving primarily as high-level handmaidens. And menservants. A few of them are also musicians. Only the talented of them being given high places in musical establishments. Waters are lower servants. Cooks and lesser maids. Kitchen helpers. Earths, being lowest, are often peasants and usually handle the dirtier jobs, like chimney sweep and stable hand. Many of them are also farmers and of more dubious professions.
Even within each element there are distinctions. Monarch Moonlights and Upper Duke/Duchess Court Moonlights. Upper courtier Metals and lower courtier. Straata Airs and Liitho Airs. Flaime fires and embur Fires. Flud waters and Rainne waters. Fawna earths and florah earths.
Do I have to cut my throat to feel
When you’ve already drained the blood?
Do I have to cry and bruise
So you can get your fill?
You’re a goddamn vampire
Feeding off my pain
Sorrow makes you smile.
A masochist if I ever knew one.
You don’t have to have fangs to be a monster
I can see it in your vulture eyes.
You don’t have to have fangs to be a monster,
Yours are just in disguise.
You’re a monster,
And I shouldn’t mind
I’m monstrous.
And fake.
If you cut me
I bleed ink.
An empty poet.
No breath. Only false words.
No heart at the start,
Just crumpled paper.
So you’re just wasting your time.
You don’t have to have fangs to be a monster,
But you can clearly see mine.