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the assassination of Marion Dufrene dessine apres Meryon       1 the canvas had been gifted spread out like a picnic rug almost dejeuner sur sail a sail lifting the womenis breasts lifting as the trees and the crewmen looked away towards the sailing dinghy limp in a nibbling bay there was a three-cornered hat conveniently scattered on the ground the trees leaned from a wreath of smoke drifting towards the scene it was a moment frozen a stopped clock twelve figures circled around the moment in the act of supplication a confusion of giving and receiving later the sky would be filled with charging cavalry and the tumbling clouds would disgorge riders who would descend to find fine buildings spacious boulevards and cobblestones 2 the judgment of Paris after the instant the numbers would have peeled off the clock but for the moment all is tableau Marion unaware of the declension from maiden to skulking demon the food proffered the adze raised Marion unaware of the axis between sustenance and death passing through his head sits in state like a hospital patient in the midst of a visit by goddesses a curtain hangs on the strange pillars of judgment on the flimsy pallisade guarding the bay near the twisted driftwood and the contorted trees Marion sitting frozen under a sky of stone between life & death & the distance between them 3 so there were demons but no reason to ask why Marion was no angel there was that business in Van Dieman's Land pickets of ribbonwood how could they help? any more than the garrison could save Lieutenant Meryon from the Akaroa clap and horses in the sky 4 famous last words marion/meryon the names murmuring together merci merci merci the little waves mumbling at the shore the wind shifting the leaves this way that way this what is there more to say at the end but thank you thank you —James Norcliffe      © 1997