#but if we never get the pleasure I hope we meet on Canaan’s land’

[sasha-whos-askin-racket]

Something about Valley of Fear using Parting Friends as a song in their show and my dad dying the month before I go and see it and then Luke remembering my dad from four years prior and bringing him up in conversation without knowing he was dead or without me having to say anything about him first has gotten me low-key fucked up.

[dream-meister-translations]

MERRY ROSE CHARACTER CARD #1

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Pluto, the land of rituals. On this day, I had come to the royal castle with the members of the Dream Weavers guild. EMMA : ……….. MERRY ROSE : Pfft. You look so nervous. Are you going to be okay? EMMA : Well, we're going to be dealing with the princess of Pluto, right? It's always nerve-racking working with royalty. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. ADEL : You're going to have to get used to it so long as you are in the Dream Weavers guild. MERRY ROSE : Our customers are always royalty.

Adel was a tailor and Merry Rose a perfumer, it was typical of them to deal with royalty. The two of them walked confidently down the majestic corridor, with no sign of nerves. ADEL : Thanks to you, Emma, we've been receiving more orders lately. MERRY ROSE : Indeed. Business has been booming. Thanks to you, we're in short supply. ADEL : It was bound to happen. You are the only one in all the lands who can make these unique scents, after all. MERRY ROSE : And I don't mind making them. Still, it would be nice to take it easy every once in a while. Like Canaan, you know? ADEL : Please, never strive to be like him. There is a reason the royalty all want your perfumes, and they don't contact him for jewelry.

They say that fragrance directly affects one's mood. Merry Rose's unique scents have an even stronger affect on the mood of the individual who uses them. EMMA : (I've never had the chance to smell his perfumes before…I wonder what it's like?) After a few more minutes of walking, we all arrived in the audience hall. In silence, we waited for the princess to arrive. I focused on my breathing in an attempt to calm down. MERRY ROSE : Ahaha, you're making a weird face. EMMA : ………

EMMA : That's so rude to say! I'm nervous, I can't help it! MERRY ROSE : Ahaha, are you mad at me? Your weird face has turned scary. EMMA : …….!!

MERRY ROSE : It seems that Emma has hundreds of funny faces. ADEL : Here comes the princess. Stop it, both of you. PRINCESS : Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my home. It's a pleasure to meet you all. I have been looking forward to today. ADEL : I hope that our products will live up to your expectations. Without further ado, Adel retrieved his dress from the garment bag and held it up for the princess to take. After she had looked it over and praised his workmanship, Merry Rose stepped forward to hand over his latest fragrance.

MERRY ROSE : As you requested, dear princess. HANDMAIDEN : It's fate! EMMA : (What the?) HANDMAIDEN : Dear Merry Rose, I fell in love with you at first sight! MERRY ROSE : My lady, you are mistaken. HANDMAIDEN : No, no, no! I'm not mistaken and it isn't my imagination! I've never felt this way before with any man, I'm being very serious! MERRY ROSE : ………. MERRY ROSE : Feelings are nothing more than a chemical reaction that is temporarily active in your brain. They are transient. You are mistaken. This is not love.

HANDMAIDEN : No! You arriving here only proves that we are destined to be together! EMMA : Adel, could it be…? ADEL : Indeed. This woman has become infatuated with Merry Rose. It must be due to his peculiar constitution. Merry Rose's peculiar constitution makes it so that he attracts the hearts of others with a mere touch. Sometimes, even without touching them. The fragrance he exudes can be enough to charm them. It just so happens that I am not easily charmed, so I have been entrusted to support him. HANDMAIDEN : Oh, Merry Rose! I love you! I love you! I love you! PRINCESS : Get her out of my sight! SQUIRE : Yes, your Royal Highness! HANDMAIDEN : Let me go! Merry Rose, wait for me, this is only a test of our love~~!! MERRY ROSE : I wish that I could have a squire like that to get rid of women for me. EMMA : He's so strong!

PRINCESS : I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen. I don't know what is wrong with her. It's like she changed entirely overnight. MERRY ROSE : It's quite alright. I'm used to it. PRINCESS : I am truly sorry for her rudeness. I do not know how to apologize... MERRY ROSE : It's my fault. PRINCESS : Not true at all! Adel made me a wonderful dress, and that perfume you made is perfect! As a way of apologizing for the trouble she caused you, please allow me to invite you all to my birthday party!

[thomasgmcelwain]

Genesis 44

Genesis 44

1 And he commanded the steward

Of his house, saying "Fill ill-starred

The men's sacks with food, as much as

They can carry, and put what has

Each man in money in the mouth

Of his sack. 2 "Also put for drouth

My cup, the silver cup, into

The youngest's sack's mouth and his due

Of money for the corn." So he

Did according to the word he,

Joseph had spoken. 3 As soon as

The morning dawned, the men whereas

Were sent away, their donkeys too.

4 When they had gone out of the view

And city, and were not yet far

Off, Joseph said to his steward,

"Get up, follow the men, and when

You overtake them, tell the men,

'Why have you repaid evil for

Good? 5 'Is not this the one in store

From which my lord drinks, and with which

He indeed divines? What a stitch

Of evil you've done doing so.'"

So the steward set out to go.

The plot of Joseph was well tried and true,

Beloved, but what the steward had to do

Was evil, since he did not know the case.

It's civil servants always blast the race,

And not the wicked tyrants on the throne.

It's not the president, but customs crone

That blights the world with rot and tyranny.

Not from the kings but servants set us free.

Blame not the servant, o my soul, for he

Better than Moses obeys Enoch's fee,

Ready to drown a boy before denying

The command of his master in the lying.

The inward and the outward meaning tries

Each soul and lays the choice before its eyes.

6 And he overtook them, and he

Spoke to them these same words and free.

7 And they said to him, "Why does my

Lord say these words? Be it not nigh

To us that your servants should do

Such thing. 8 "Look, we brought back to you

From land of Canaan the money

Which we found in our sacks' mouths free.

How then could we steal silver, gold

From your lord's house? 9 "Now then be bold,

With whomsoever it is found,

Let him die, and we shall be bound

As my lord's slaves."10 And he said "Now

Also let it be just done how

You have spoken, he with whom it

Is found shall be my slave befit,

And you shall all be blameless then."

The innocent call down the curse of heaven

Upon their own heads, knowing not the leaven

Of spite the palace dweller has in store

To crush the innocent by plot and gore.

The wily judge knows how to treat the words

Of innocent ones caught among the turds

Of intrigue, and to make himself seem just

While trampling hungry poor into the dust.

I've learned I hope the lesson what to do,

When questioned by authorities, be true

To truth and self best by a silent tongue,

Not knowing vested interests, to be hung.

Let me live so, Beloved, that no blame can

Be cast on me, then sealed lips are the plan.

11 So each man quickly let down his

Sack to the ground, and as it is

Each opened his sack. 12 So he searched.

He started with the oldest perched

And left off with the youngest, and

The cup was in Benjamin's sack.

The silver cup is always in the store

Of innocence. The evidence is more

In pointing to deceiver plot to frame.

The condemned are more often not to blame.

Yet wheels turn on and the protected now

Tomorrow fall before the biting plough.

The silver plaited on the palm turns black

And buys no more the pleasures nor the slack.

Slight comfort this to thousands in their need

Who see with horror silver in the seed.

Though justice comes tomorrow, then it's late,

And those today have time to meet their fate.

Perhaps tomorrow some souls will gain time

Because a felon toppled paid his crime.

13 They tore their clothes, and then went back

With donkeys loaded to the city,

To see the man and beg for pity.

14 So Judah and his brothers came

To Joseph's house, and he was game,

Still there, and they fell before him

On the ground, since the dream was dim.

15 And Joseph said to them, "What deed

Is this you have done to succeed?

Did you not know that such a man

As I can divine, surely can?"

The touching thing about these men of old

Is that they never let donkeys go cold,

But in their direst hour remember beast

And tenderly see to their needs at least,

While Joseph pretends to divine, not guess,

The future by his powers of no and yes.

Even the good and fair sometimes for gain

Confirm the superstitions of the vain,

And let them fear eternal punishment,

Because they have no eyes and ears are spent.

Be wise, my soul, and do not speak contrary

To popes who have both power and truth to parry.

There is no winning calling balls and strikes.

Beloved, I give up limousines for bikes.

16 Then Judah said "What shall we say

To my lord? What shall we speak, say?

Or how shall we clear ourselves here?

Ælohim has made to appear

Iniquity of your servants,

Here we are, my lord's recompense,

Slaves all, both we and he also

With whom the cup was found to go."

The wisdom of Judah is great I see.

When framed and damned he still sees regency

Of divine providence. Though innocent,

He knows You guide the outcome with consent.

He shows more patience before his sentence

Than Joseph was when in his innocence

He entered prison to serve there as seer

Of secrets for the convicts that came near.

Judah does not know what Your plan may be,

But firmly stands prepared for jeopardy.

I do not ask for courage in the face

Of such trials here that Judah had to face,

Nor for his patience in the face of wrong.

I only ask, Beloved, You lead my song.

17 But he said "Far be it from me

That I should do so to the free,

The man in whose hand the cup was

Shall be my slave, and that's as does.

And as for you, go up in peace

To your father in full release."

Now Joseph gives his brothers their good chance

To sell once more a brother, song and dance,

Into Egypt and into slavery.

They did it once for spite, now to be free

They come once more before the same temptation.

It's praise, Beloved, to You to find what's hard

One time that saw my feet slip on the shard,

Come round again and passes with elation,

Without an effort or a condemnation.

Let's see if Joseph's brothers pass the bill.

I have a sneaking feeling that they will.

The road to heaven on earth is round and round

Upon the scintillating slaughter ground,

There You by sacrificial sparks are found.

Week 11

18 Then Judah came near to him and

Said "O my lord, please lend a hand

And let your servant speak a word

In my lord's hearing, and not stirred

To anger against your servant,

For you are Pharaoh's adjutant.

19 "My lord asked his servants, saying

'Have you father or brotherling?'

20 "And we said to my lord, 'Indeed,

We have father, old man agreed,

And a child of his old age, who

Is young, his brother is dead too,

And he alone is left of his

Mother's children, and indeed his

Father loves him.' 21 "And then you said

To your servants, 'Bring him down led

To me, that I may set my eyes

On him.' 22 "And we gave our replies

To my lord, 'The lad cannot leave

His father, for if he should leave

His father, his father would die.'

23 "But you said to your servants, 'Fie,

Unless your youngest brother comes

Down with you, you shall not for plums

See my face any more.' 24 "So it

Was, when we went up there to sit

With your servant my father, that

We told him my lord's words out flat.

25 "And our father said 'Go back and

Buy some food for our little band.'

26 "But we said 'We cannot go down,

If our youngest brother in gown

Is with us, then we will go down,

For we may not see the man's face

Except our youngest's in the place.'

27 "Then your servant my father said

To us, 'You know my wife had bred

And borne me two sons, 28 'and the one

Went out from me, and then I said

"Surely he's torn to pieces, done,"

And I have not seen since that son.

29 'But if you take this one from me

Also, and some calamity

Befalls him, you shall bring down my

Grey hair with sorrow under sky

And to the grave.' 30 "Now therefore, when

I come to your servant my father,

And the lad is not with the men,

Since his life is bound up the rather

In the lad's life, 31 "it will happen,

When he sees lad's not with the men,

That he will die. So your servants

Will bring down the grey hair's expense

Of your servant our father by

Sorrow to the grave under sky.

32 "For your servant became surety

For the lad to my father free,

Saying 'If I do not bring him

Back to you, then I shall be dim

To bear the blame before my father

Forever and to carry bother.'

33 "Now therefore, please let your servant

Remain as lad's executant,

As a slave to my lord, and let

The lad go up on donkey set

With his brothers. 34 "For how shall I

Go up to my father the by

If the lad is not with me, lest

Perhaps I see the evil pest

That would come on my father's chest?"

I put a sonnet here perversely set,

While reader waits results with bated breath,

And hangman stops with judge to make a bet,

And the whole courtroom's silent as the death

To see what Joseph's hand's about to do.

My sonnet is in praise of Judah's speech

That shines with love to father and to each

Brother and brother's child within his reach.

Judah, the harlot monger's become new.

I praise You, my Beloved, for what men do,

Who go beyond the human hope and shape

To act a divine play in this landscape.

May every man and woman have Your grace

To live and love in Judah's trysting place.