A mercuric lake

Campfire
Photo by Ville Palmu on Unsplash

I have many thoughts trapped inside my head. I cannot free them because they are thoughts without words to go with them, or the words that might go with them are inadequate to express those thoughts. Trying to express those thoughts feels too much like, as Alan Watts would have put it, trying to bite my own teeth.

If I managed to construct those thoughts into something that could be understood, if I could find the words and unstop this mute mouth — would anyone read them anyway? I mean, really read. I am fairly certain that they cannot be words that can be heard, so I do not dare speak.

I have for a very long time tried to personally touch these thoughts, hoping to better understand people who struggled in much the same way as I do now to express inexpressible thoughts. Now that I am on that path, I understand their struggle. There are no words, we need a new language altogether to get at the words needed to explain explain explain. Maybe, I think these thoughts can only be expressed sideways, with a slipstream sense.

After I slip into the wilds, do you think you could find me? Would you want to?

The buzz of insects over a mercuric lake…


2 responses to “A mercuric lake”

  1. shredbobted Avatar

    Our bodies of water here are full of mercury, arsenic, and cyanide. Apparently, all those elements are really good at separating gold and silver from stone. I don’t know how that works, but it is why this whole area is a Superfund site. I’m not sure if it’s the same for you, but I know there’s lots of good ideas in there waiting to be separated from the aggregate.

    1. michael raven Avatar

      Never much into metallurgical chemistry, but those may be more coexisting byproducts rather than useful. Fine as long as their bound up with the gold, but released as toxic waste during the separation of the gold. Sulfuric acid mine drainage is what we have around here. Mercury is a released as part of exposure and subsequent acid generation.

      Fun stuff.

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