TjS: Shrine to the Lizard King
November 3, 2006
Jim Morrison’s grave, originally uploaded by Shontellymc.
In honor of the day of the dead, I decided to build a shrine to my childhood hero, Jim Morrison. Of course I didn’t know him personally, but his dark visions haunted me when I was young, and continue to bring out very deep, visceral reactions today, when I’m beginning the procreative cycle at the same age at which he died. There were times in my childhood when I wondered if I’d ever outgrow him, but I know now that this tired warrior will never see farther than his boyhood prophet.
Listening to a Doors bootleg right now, I’m reminded again of the primeval power of this man, this dark priest on whom my image of Jesus is largely based (who REALLY believes Jesus wore one of those ridiculous papal hats?). I hear Jim Morrison in the works of Omar Khayyam, the Biblical prophets, modern prophets like Raine Maida, in the continual lurching of the soft parade, and look forward to hearing his ageless voice in the cries of my child to be born. Yes, I intend to frighten my kids with Morrison’s howls, and as they get older, to teach them to dance around bonfires to the Doors’ pagan rhythms, and in this way begin their teachings about humanity, where we’ve been, where we’re going. Corny as it sounds, I sat down a few minutes ago to write, of all things, a poem for my childhood hero. Off the top of my head, here’s the best I can do - a tribute to a man who has always inspired me.
You were twenty-seven and I was twelve
You cried to Heaven for how I felt
You broke through to me
Who needed you to be –
How did you know, how could you tell?
Now you’re twenty-seven and so am I
But I’m still eleven when I hear you cry
Your message straight and true
Time and again you cry on through
You’re still by my side as years go by
When you’re twenty-seven and I’m fifty-six
Will you still have wisdom yet to give?
Will you still howl on my behalf?
Or fade down some forgotten path?
I know at twenty-seven you’ll still alive
Marigold Path Grid Blog: Ritualizing Shrines
November 2, 2006
This post is part of a gridblog for people around the globe remembering those that have passed away
All Saints Day 2006: Transmission met for house church – for eating, singing, socializing, praying, and ritualizing together. The central part of our ritual (see post below) was based on remembering those who have died before us and contemplating our own mortality. We built shrines in silence and then lay down dead (in the yoga style corpse pose), until Isaac woke us with song. Then everyone shared about their shrine. Below are thumbnail photos of their shrines with snippets of the stories they shared.
Paul built a shrine to his grandfather (a simple man who lived for a time in an orphanage in Ohio);
Isaac assembled one for his great-grandmother from Indiana (a good farmer’s wife who loved to bake);
and Katie commemorated all the relatives and traditions that have been lost, along with the knowledge of her family line beyond her grandparents.
Bowie remembered the victims of Katrina;
Elaina built a shrine to Bono (who’s not dead! but is inspirational in his work to prevent unnecessary death from poverty);
and John molded a lizard out of playdough to represent Jim Morrision (who died at the same age John is now, and who will only seem younger to John as he journeys forward in life).
You can see more photos of our shrines & us on Bowie’s flickr feed