In Sleep We Were Consumed

[dr. locrian]

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In sleep we were consumed by the feverish life of the earth, cast among a ripe, fairly rotting world of strange growths and transformation. We took a place within a darkly flourishing landscape where even the air was ripened into ruddy hues and everything wore the wrinkled grimace of decay, the mottled complexion of old flesh. The face of the land itself was knotted with so many other faces, ones that were corrupted by vile impulses. Grotesque expressions were molding themselves into the darkish grooves of ancient bark and the whorls of withered leaf; pulpy, misshapen features peered out of damp furrows; and the crisp skin of stalks and dead seeds split into a multitude of crooked smiles. All was a freakish mask painted with russet, rashy colors—colors that bled with a virulent intensity, so rich and vibrant that things trembled with their own ripeness.       Thomas Ligotti - “The Shadow at the Bottom of the World” Added by: dr. locrian on 06-09-2007 #13

Talk about lush and brilliant lyric language! In retrospect, I suppose this talk of flesh consumption reminded me of this passage, though it could have just as easily been brought to mind by this brisk November day (and Autumn is by far my favorite season).