From the Mouths of Animals

A cluster of wires from yesteryear trailed and jumbled from hidden parts of the graffitied concrete structures and into rusted metal conduit. It was a common theme from the tour that stuck out like a rough in the diamond. It was a map that depicted every single route every human, animal, and vehicle had ever traversed; each layered on top of each other similar to a gesture drawing. What signal did that blue wire send? How long had it been there? Imagine all the 1’s and 0’s that had pass through that copper. Can you hear the conversations of lovers? The long distance discussions about how someone’s son or daughter had arrived safely in a foreign town. Possibly playing a tune on guitar for a bandmate to hear the riff. All the communications of love, disgust, joy, intellect, philosophy, and simple “just wanted to say ‘hi’, Mom” still echo through this visual effigy. No doubt, some of these snakes of wires still provide messages, but it has become obvious, they are becoming obsolete.

Now these same signals are sent through the air up into atmosphere. Tiny man-made moons orbit our blue ball to provide virtual wires. We do not see or hear anymore. We do not feel the vibration and the timbre of another’s voice. The energy, tone, and inflection is a lost art. The amount of “Likes” or “reactions” of our messages become our memories. Receives… Reception… The pressure of modern life has forced quickness. Text speak is even becoming obsolete, now. No more LOL’s. No more OMG’s. Single visual depictions express our emotions and documentation. We have come full circle with these virtual hieroglyphs and cave paintings that attempt to tell others our stories.

Communication is dead, long live communication!

featured photo:
Snake in the Concrete
photo taken while on tour with my surf/garage rock band, Forbidden Waves