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Hi from south Africa

Black Dragon

Staff
Administrator
Welcome Gavin!

We're just starting summer here. Winter was rather harsh this year, so now you can have it all to yourself for a while. ;)

What sort of literature do you enjoy reading/writing?
 

gavintonks

Maester
Welcome Gavin!

# Many thanks

We're just starting summer here. Winter was rather harsh this year, so now you can have it all to yourself for a while. ;)

# Problem is we are in Africa you know the hot sunny place, we do not know anything about snow and ice and have to start dealing with it, may need a how to guide one day soon.

What sort of literature do you enjoy reading/writing?

# I am very much sci fi from asimov to stuff like Cloven hooves my best is Clive barker. I started with a 24 hour survival guide to small business which is a give away and is doing quite well as an ebook. I have written some poetry. I will post the latest here. Then I spent the last year writing an adult fantasy book which is the hardest thing I have ever done. It needs a good editor, but I realized it needed a 2nd volume so I am on chapter 4 of that.It is called Fate of Aquarius as is about the battle of good and eveil for the souls of men now in Pisces for the power to rule the next 26 500 years of Aquarius. the second hand starts on 5th may 2012 and takes 300 years to reach midnight between the two houses.
 

gavintonks

Maester
Africa Breathing
Original poem by Gavin Tonks rev 1 14/03/2011
1
Africa breathing
your air,
storms, dark thundering hooves and lightning
in creation’s maw.
Rain and life
beat down upon me.
The hard packed, dry earth, wet splattered,
dark blood red, earth images,
underneath my flesh feet, made from rain.
Original pagan power, magic, stretches forth,
Goats, cows, lions and snakes bare foot ancient people and thorns.
My skin, organs and body made from their same earth, their water, now my flesh.
2
Stamping feet, on the luminous land, watched, through, an orange worshipped moon,
dark shadows lie, growing wanting, winter, cold heartless, dry, turning, brown then black burning,
brittle, sharpness underfoot, hunger eats and gnaws, death waiting.
Clouds, sun hot cracked silence and baked, beater, punisher, hope heart beat,
lions breathe and antelope pronk, insect scream in the cool, shaded, wind bending reeds.
3
Creation’s quest, triumph, earth, stone, tree, footprint, sky and lonely cosmic visions, dance.
Fire, burning smoke rising trembling, fluttering air, we breathe and die, closed eyes, choking darkness.
Reborn morning light and life, charged full, triumph scorched and blazing.
To breathe in a new African day.
 

Black Dragon

Staff
Administrator
That's a terrific poem, Gavin. It's very evocative, and reminds me of one of my favorite South African authors, J.M. Coetzee.
 

gavintonks

Maester
Hi barker makes pictures in my head with his writing.I have quite a collection of sci fi stuff also of course Stephen Donaldson and Julian May are also favorites
 

gavintonks

Maester
Hi many thanks I have another which is in an anthology of RSA poets I wrote a number of years ago. Coetzee is an amazing author.
 

gavintonks

Maester
I walked

I walked in the dark, on an African plain,
The moon and stars, they stared, from the blue black, blanket pinned across the sky.
I stumbled against the rock strewn landscape, while Khoi ancestors sang their shaman songs into the wind.
Lonely and lost you looked for me – I am not there.

My sons and daughters dance, their dizzy song, on my dusty face like ants.
I cry dry tears, of dust, for their little dry bodies, beating – out the rhythm of their spent lives.
You! Chant deep into the night, exhausted, to wait a new day – hoping to see my signs, if you have been there.

The Lion and the leopard, I sent to steal your souls, they swallowed you as you danced into the sky.
Still you did not, find me there.
Little children of this sand, wandering against the African midnight sky, take my soul, to meet the Lion, maybe then to know - If you are not there.
Children of Africa hear your song, on the distant growling of the wind.
The Lion’s hot breath blew against my face, from between sharp, white, teeth like clouds. The blood red mouth, open,
while the beast in purposeful travel moved.
The sun above the horizon stood - a new awakening to find me not there.

I looked for you, by the light of the worshipped moon.
I know that somewhere you are there, African sky, my sad and melancholy friend - Did you, so old know more than me?
Oh! faithful cosmic vision, where you there?
At the beginning, did you see him then?
Do you know more about the end?
I walked home in the cold light of an African day.
 

gavintonks

Maester
Many thanks there are not a lot of them, as the planets need to align first, but thanks for the feedback. I think my book has captured a lot of the same feel but being different it is going to be a hard sell
 
oooOOooo Africa!!!! and Clive Barker is one of my fav authors too! I love Weaveworld and Galilee LOL.. Your poem was very pretty too.. What's it like where you live? Do you have like hyenas and stuff in your trash like we do raccoons? I ask cause a long time ago a teacher of mine had gone to Africa and he showed a video he shot of a hyena and then an elephant in the hotel's trash LOL I thought it was epic LMAO!! But is it really like that.. or only in certain tourist areas? I do know you aren't supposed to bring your pets when you go cause of fear of them getting loose and eatten by the local wildlife o.o
 

gavintonks

Maester
Well we live in a normal city but what is normal. A hyena escaped from the lion park and was ridden over by a grader when they built the new road [she was in a den she had made and no one knew she was there/ bit scary]. Another hyena escaped the other day and caused consternation all round. We have 17 shopping centers within 5 km of my property.Elephants are usually further up couple of hundred kilometers and a lot of private game parks do have elephants so very likely.

Dogs are pretty much into our rubbish and with the garbage strike their are some pretty big rats running around at the moment.Our biggest problem are two legged types. the current economy being so down is resulting in every bit of metal being stolen to be sold as scrap. So other than really glorious weather despite it is colder than normal and we have had a lot of rain, I need to go to the zoo to see an elephant, but their are lots of people around with buck, so you can ride [I have a horse] past small holdings and see springbok, impala etc which are privately owned. The lion park which we ride along their fence has a big cross section of animals from ostritch to wildebees. There are quite a few emus around at the moment as well, have no idea why unless their is a market for emu meat somewhere.
 
See I want to live where you can have pets like that LOL here I knew someone who had a tiger for a pet but they had to donate it to a zoo -.- you can't have any cool pets here not even ferrets or chinchillas they're illegal to have as pets.. NY has big rats too.. When I lived there man they were bigger then cats >.< and there's rumor about gators in the sewers but I don't think anyone who did have baby gators and flushed them.. I don't think they'd have survived in the sewers all these decades LOL but who knows. I want to visit Africa so bad. It's a very beautiful place... I want to see the Savanah and see animals where they belong not in cages like criminals.. I wanna go to Austrailia too cause I want to see Kangaroos and Wallabees and Koalas outside of cages too.. I don't like zoos the animals are never happy there even the ones born in captivity. it's like they know that isn't their home.. The only wild animals I've ever seen are common out here.. Bob cats, Puma, Bears, deer, Elk, Moose, etc.. boring animals x.x gimme a lion any day!!! o.o
 

gavintonks

Maester
Balaam is an honourable person and has treated me with great kindness. He has shown me many things and has made me a trusted member of his inner circle. I want for nothing.
I need to send down a delegation to earth to cover the next 300 years to Aquarius. Balaam has a throne in atmospheria where he rules over one of the many established heavens in the akashic. His rein will bring great darkness. I have prepared some space ships, for the harvest of deceased souls from the earth.
I expect them to pass through the axis mundae shortly. The council of Div has notified me they have a harvest of humans that should reach grade 50. The quality of humans coming through at the moment is not so great so we will need to educate them. We have an indication of twelve million souls are ready to come through, so the teachers and accommodation must be in order for their arrival.
"Horatio you seem a bit distant today, is everything all right?”
"Yes Balaam I am just thinking of my friends, and wondering how they are.”
"Not to worry you can go and visit them soon.”
"I have received notification that we have a knot of 50 000 souls in a hell. I have authorized to use force of fire or water whichever is appropriate for the unbinding of the souls. Once these souls are harvested the kingdoms boundaries will be open again and the pillars of fire removed to allow open access for all souls.”
"You are proving to be an extremely capable person at my side Horatio.”

We have noticed that a number of drujas have escaped and are harassing the corporal earth humans. I am unwilling to authorise the use of force next to the humans as they have become too sensitive to our presence. I have authorised the necessary nurseries schools and hospitals to be available for the damaged souls. I have instructed some ceremonies for when they arrive to keep them entertained.

Our plan on changing the nature of the human race through technology and removing them from direct inspiration of nature is progressing well. I am planning an assault on humans through the akashic.
We have some angels that have ideas to inspire humans to some grandiose plan. They speak of these plans to humans when they sleep, inspiring them. The human race is in a dark period, collapsing business and earthquakes. This part of the akashic is currently divided which suits your purpose. I suggest we will require wider fields and more pomp and glory in our heaven. I suggest we expand our capital city, for this new intake.
I have ordered four thousand otevans and other ascending ships form our manufacturing hub at the outer heaven. The employment tally is seven hundred million men and women, and they are on their way to Hored to be sorted and put to work. Once the work on the ships is complete they will work on the beautification plan for the capital, Council house and palace.
After the outer city is cleaned up then we will turn to the interiors.
I have ordered all the texts books and information to be hidden from the new arrivals that refers to any other heavenly places. This will be done by an army of destructors I have ordered them to transverse this heaven to hide away as many of the records, books, and maps, relating to the higher atmospherea and to the etherean worlds as possible.
Balaam,” I wish to ask a question if you do not mind, why do we never see your brother?”
"That's easy Horatio, we share energy as you know and as we are opposites and I manifest as the negative so his manifestation as my opposite must be unseen. Is that not cool, I am always known for my deeds as I can be seen, and he can never be seen so it automatically creates doubt,” he finished laughing his full throated laugh enjoying one of the greatest puns of the universe.
In the next three hundred years mankind will know of my place called Hored. The inhabitants of heaven and earth will find me and will know my pleasure and my displeasure, and serve me in fear and trembling.

I organised a great feast when everything was completed for all the senior people who were involved in these projects. The labourers and officers in charge extended and beautified the palace and capital of Hored beyond anything ever seen in these heavens. I had the feast conducted in a large palace of magnificence and glory. I instructed the temper and discipline of the more than a million officers and servants, who had charge of preparing and conducting the feast. The effect was so astonishing that the assembled Gods, great generals, governors, marshals, and captains stood and applauded in astonishment for twenty minutes.

I had the walls of the palace ornamented with sprays of colored fire, and a chamber of underground fountains spewed the es'pa essence of food which I had heard was a great delicacy of the gods from the earth. One million palace servants saw that the fountains and decor worked. I had the air infused with millions of kaleidoscopic pictures, and filled the place with the music of wind currents trained to tunes.

At the feast, there were one thousand two hundred guests; and the feast lasted a whole day. The Gods and guests ate and drank to their hearts' content, and a few felt the intoxication of the rich nectar I served.
"Remember I am a God of anger; I have declared war against all ungodliness on the earth.”
"Balaam you need to chill. You honestly get carried away sometimes, let me finish my report.”
I have had a thousand spirits of darkness, who are foul and well skilled in tormenting and capable of driving people mad. They are busy spreading viruses to make people who are rooting for the other side uncomfortable or dead.
"How is the new king and queen of mine on earth? You need to inspire them to love me and to create a great war, under the edict of the Bull. Try and influence them through dreams. I am thinking that I will call the new nation the Ghans”
"Balaam I wish you would not get so impatient you jump around all the time.”

It was so much easier in my previous battles with the Gods for the dominion of the Earth and the lowest heavens. I called them battles of a thousand years. I set mortals up in war, and moved them and then plunged them into death in each other's bloody arms. Humans are play things in the hands of angels and Gods and we work them like clay in a potter's hand, till they cry out.
The morning sun dawned in the east, which was not a good sign for us as my armies weapons burnt and melted in the hands of my hosts. Sometimes I despair of having armies that are not very bright. Well we got our foot in a few doors that day.
It is an easy matter to rule over the kings and queens and prophets, and all learned people; but not so easy to rule over the ignorant. Who, having been accustomed to worship through idols and will continue to do so. I had such fun with soothsayers, and workers of magic interacting with mortals.

It was so much easier in my previous battles with the Gods for the dominion of the Earth and the lowest heavens. I called them the battles of a thousand years. I set mortals up in war, and moved them by my inspiring hosts and then plunged them into death in each other's bloody arms. Humans are playthings in the hands of angels and Gods and we work them like clay in a potter's hand, till they cry out.
"Horatio, it was so much more exciting then, did I tell you how I destroyed the altars of my enemy, it was glorious. I trained one thousand million angels and kitted them with special kites. I dropped them out of the akashic shouting - we are the destroying hosts. We swooped down on the altrs, arcs and places of oracles in a noise that has not been heard on earth for a thousand years. We swooped on a hundreds thousand places simultaneously, shouting Avaunt.
You should have seen my brother's face, oh but that's right you cannot hahhaha.
Then things fell to pieces a bit, as some of the places were invincible. My brother's guardian angels stood unmoved and majestic, that even my assailing spirits halted, overawed. It did not last long and my angels moved forward menacingly and the tide rose to a fever pitch.
The beginning of sunrise is the best time to possess the temples, places of oracles, and the cities using the stratagem of force. The morning sun however dawned in the east, which was not a good sign for us as my armies' akashic weapons burnt and melted in the hands of my hosts.
Sometimes I despair of having armies that are not very bright. Well we got our foot in a few doors that day. I decided to use familiar spirits and it is wise to attack a city or temple on the same day it was a calculated risk as they tend to fasten onto the places and not want to leave again.

No sooner had they landed in their arevanzas, and then my brother's army began to discharge weapons by the thousands. The fight escalated as each side threw, more powerful weapons at each other. The battle took a twist when my brother sent his celestial bow to the earth.
The weapon was truly inspired capable of launching seven destructive arrows at a time. I laughed then as I knew he was becoming desperate. I sent a daemon follower with my discus.
My discus fell from the hands of my deamons trained in its use. Their arms as big as elephant's legs, hurled the weapon into the sky. It blazed in a fiery wheel, becoming translucent and then it shone in metallic colours. I had not tested this weapon but it is capable of destroying towns.
It plunged from the heaven bound in fire and engulfed in flames, it rotation movement gave one the sense of it falling in perpetual motion. Flames and bolts of energy flew from the main body destroying thousands in one blast. It flew through the sky toward the giant bow, and fell on them. The resulting fireball consumed them all, the red fire symbolic of their life blood feasted on by my weapons.
 
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