The Secret Carnival

By Erik Ash

Written during a wild, passionate love affair that turned out to be a fever dream, The Secret Carnival is a series of grotesque and uplifting vignettes concerning the cycle of creation and decay.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erik Ash
• Release date: May 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370001583

Erik Ash

Erik Ash was born in the fiery abyss of the Mojave Desert and raised on the frozen streets of Milwaukee. He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin, where he studies physics and molecular biology.

Book preview

Morning

I.

Across the nauseous quaintness

of the town square

and through the vile machinery

of the road-strewn forest,

there is a perfectly manicured

patch of little grass,

ringed by mushrooms,

deadly in white.

Here there are oriental energies

and occidental deaths,

A portal.

A swarm of bees,

a mouthful of honey

a mouthful of pain.

Red,

like exposed flesh,

envelopes visitors

with the new vibrations.

It is here the refugees flock,

eager for release

or murder.

Their eyes flicker

with desire and memories

of fabulous quicksilver rides

Their feet lightly tramp

across the rain

as they close their eyes

and breathe.

II.

Soft pink

like liquid strawberry,

the sun slicks across the sky

in a haze.

A castle,

moist

with white spirals,

hangs in the clouds.

The people scurry across

butterscotch cobblestones.

There are sweet banquets

in the falcon architecture.

Buffets of fortification.

Damsels with full-bodied lungs.

Togas and tights

and bulging loins.

Scars without wounds.

Emotions without terror.

Leaning in,

a vision line with soft mounds.

Too much sugar

to be alone.

Too much cream

to be separated.

There’s a wild