in case you were wondering, the phrase shiver me timbers is from when pirates/sailors would be on ships and a wave would crash into the ship causing masts (and everything?) to shake. a person in the crowd at the mermaid parade yelled “SHIVER ME TIMBERS” as pirates walked by. there were pirates of all ages.
the mermaid parade also featured crustaceans, Poseidons of many ages, jelly fish, marching bands, roller skaters, sea horses, sea turtles, starfish, polar bears, sharks, the metro card man, an orca in high heels, a walrus king, penguins, and more characters, not to mention the mermaids/mermen/merpeople. many exasperated children. many elated children. really a gorgeous assembly. everybody was grooving and strutting, gliding down the way. they put on a show. many green scales (i hear Gwendolyn Brooks words green’s your color).
this week’s title was also overheard, and:
“GO COWBOY” (in reference to a person hula hooping down the aisle)
*man yelling* “OH MY GOD IT’S A JELLY FISH FAMILY”
“LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE LOBSTER COUPLE”
“YOU LOOK BEAUTIFUL”
woman next to me about the hype man who yelled many of the above things “I need that guy with me when I go to work on Monday morning”
it was a collective effervescence and a half. the conviviality, the absurdity, the occasion, all very nourishing. undrowning on land, it felt like, brought together by splendor, gladness. dressed for the living.
Gallway Kinnell:
But trust the hours. Haven’t they
carried you everywhere, up to now?
i trust the hours and i trust the mermaids and i trust the people insisting on reasons to parade. strut like you mean it. they carry us.
