Comments on: Sea Monster

By: Paulette Livers

Paulette Livers — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:30:53 +0000

A difficult task—capturing on the page the tone of a “told” story. Reminds me of the Southern Order of Storytellers annual festival in Atlanta. That tone is what gives this story life, I think—well, that and the fantastic description.

By: heavener

heavener — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:59:51 +0000

I’ve seen that short! But a long time ago. When I was a kid maybe. I don’t think I knew it was a short. I just have that scene you described embedded in my memory for some reason. I hadn’t had any context for it until now. Glad to know it wasn’t some fever dream!

By: Jed

Jed — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:49:43 +0000

“The bowsprits point the way.” Colorful, well-chosen words. I love it when inanimate objects are endowed with animate traits.

This short, short reminds me of a short, short film I saw way, way back in the late 60’s of a man surf fishing, snagging big fish and throwing them on the beach to await cleaning. He turns and finds a small table with a plated sandwich and cold drink. He picks up the sandwich and takes a bite. A hook snares his cheek and he is last seen being dragged across the sand toward the water.
The whole thing lasts about three minutes…but the suddenness of the hook’s appearance lasts into the sleepless night. Piercing. (pun intended)

By: savannah

savannah — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 15:11:49 +0000

Amazing line–this is so vivid:

“They are moving around and under and over and through all the houses of the town, licking and smelling and touching and feeling and tasting the sleeping people of the town. They are laughing their hard, shrill sea monster laughs, and waving their prehensile hooked limbs.”

The whole story is so delightfully disturbing, allegorical too.