Mermaids, mantled in mazarine
Fancy sees;
The ocean-sirens, and her, their queen
Of music-charméd memories.
Still breathes the ancient Parthenope.
O'er waters of modern Napoli
Her melodies.
Blue, - blue, - beautiful and intense, -
Everywhere:
Spirits, or some one spirit immense,
Breathing and burning in the air;
Making an ardent presence felt,
Till the rocks seemed as like to melt
In the glare.
- WILLIAM GIBSON, THE GROTTO AZZURO
Blue WONDERS AND DISTANT MEMORIES
The feeling of sea water rocketing into my sinuses - sharper than salt and vinegar chips.
Barefoot children shouting the word medusa - a swarm of jellyfish.
An irate group of boatmen, who swear, and curse one another, and sing as they row their dinghies into the blue grotto.
A cave that is lit from below. The ceiling is dark and the water is illumined like blue flames.
Setting up our hammock on a flimsy metal guard, on a cliff by the sea. Only to have the whole thing collapse in a heap.
