The Monologue

The FDBM Dialogue

Fashion (Ẹṣọ aṣọ): O mistress iku, mistress iku!

Death (Iku): Please do not interrupt my ancient process, as they are sacred to not only me — but to those who tread the realm between lightness and darkness.

F: But, Death I—

her lips pursed as the court fell silent, onlookers gazed in terror as a soul dared defy the ruler of all born into judgement

D: Practice patience and thou shall concede to my fine palace without requesting permission to enter.

F: Concede? As if I weren't birthed into decay and immortality just as yourself.

D: Immortal?

he scoffed at the statement

D: It has been more than a millennia since the age in which immortals graced this planet.

F: Mistress, you seem to be poetically akin to the likes of Leopardi or a poet of the eighteenth century.

D: I love the sonnets of which you speak, poets have finely engineered the triumphs of my madness over the centuries. A romanticization of my constant effort of annihilation.

F: For the love that you hold dear to the seven cardinal sins, won't you stop for one moment and look at me!

D: Am I not yet in a moment's gaze?

F: Well, do you know not recognize me?!

D: You must not have been made aware of my poor sight. Even if the Englishmen provided me with such spectacles, it is not like I would know how to make use of them.

F: It is I, Ẹṣọ aṣọ, your sister.

D: Sister?

F: Indeed. It is you who must be unaware that we are both born of decay.

D: You think that I, the chief enemy of memory, could recall such a detail?!

F: Well I do. I know that we both profit off of the unabating change and mayhem that takes place below. You in one way and I in another.

Mayhem (Ariwo): It is indeed true mistress that eṣọ aṣọ has played an instrumental part in plenty of my divisive schemes throughout my time below.

D: Are you both speaking to yourselves? You must know that I shall never hear you if you two continue to mumble on with those paper-thin voices. Alas, my hearing serves me no better than my sight.

F: My apologies, for in France I am used to not speaking to be heard. Since we, however, happen to be sisters — I will speak as you wish. It is both you and I who share the common nature of breathing calamities into the world. You reap the life of men, women, animals and nations. Whereas I am content for the most part on influencing wardrobe, architecture, aesthetic and the like. It is however, our similarity in the use of supreme action where our goals collide.

she pauses as the approach of a divine presence draws itself nearer and nearer

Beauty (Ẹwa): Tis, it is I who influences the masses to pierce their ears, lips and noses

F: And torn by these ornaments, is it not I who suspends from them?

B: I aid in the formation of customs that compress the heads of children so that all born of a country will don heads of the same shape, as in parts of America and Asia. I torture and bound the feet of millions with constricted shoes, as does my sister. I persuade the masses to bear numerous daily fatigues, all merely for the love of me. I impress the skin of man with hot iron/brass stamps, tattoos and various other forms of scarification.

F: As you see, they are content to shiver in the freezing cold, or melt with the emblazoned heat all because it is my will for them to do so. They do everything in our way, regardless of their own injury.

D: In all honesty, a mere birth certificate could scarcely make me more sure that you are indeed my sister. Ẹwa, it is no doubt of mine that you are indeed my sister as well. Standing still is paralyzing for me, let us run. Only you must not fall behind as I run at a great pace. As we run forth you both can tell me what you would like.

F: Let us run for standing still for me is like death.

D: So be it then.

the three take off running near the beyond leaving mayhem behind to do what he does best

D: Since your mother was mine, and mine yours -- you two ought to serve me in some way and assist me in the family's business.

F: Alas, we have already done so — more than you imagine. Above all, we merely transform the customs of societies.

D: Must have been a mere miraculous feat, you have never done what you are unable to do!

B: And why is that we cannot do it? You have shown how ignorant you are to the power of both fashion and beauty.

D: Well, well. Time for talk shall cease when I introduce you to the custom of not dying. But for now, like a good sister, I want you to aid me.

F: We have already mentioned some of our labors to you, of which I'm sure you know are a great source of profit for you. But all of them stifle in comparison to those of which I will now tell you. Decade by decade, I have brought much discredit and disuse to a number of traditional exercising methods that promote bodily health. Whereas formerly you had no other symbolic possessions besides tombstones and cemeteries, now you have fine landed properties and people who act as a freehold possession of yours from conception. We laid the grounds in which many now romanticize your continued efforts. Some so much that they prefer you to life itself. With that being said, I denounce the fashion of seeking immortality Now, he who has died will do so altogether — ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

D: You speak poetically and I am willing to do as you propose.