Visitors by John Cranna

My Grandfather was a large man with a strong laugh who grew Pomegranates for Pleasure...

...but for reasons that only gradually became clear to me, and were certainly never clear to him...

But for reasons that only gradually became clear to me, and were certainly never clear to him

...it was sometimes felt necessary to strap him to a bed...

It was sometimes felt necessary to strap him to a bed

...and apply electric shocks to his head.

and apply Electric shocks to his head

My Grandfather had… collected musical instruments from around the pacific

My Grandfather had...collected musical Instruments from around the Pacific ...a great Javanese Gamelean… ...a chilean Lute...

I could hear the instruments in their other lives talk to me… it lodged in my chest as a kind of ecstasy

I could hear the instruments in their other lives talk to me… it lodged in my chest as a kind of ecstasy

In the orchard, my Grandfather’s pomegranates had reached their full maturity.

In the orchard my grandfather’s pomegranates had reached their full maturity The day had come to taste the first of the fruit

The day had come to taste the fruit

[I was] unable to take my eyes from the stain of the juice on the white tablecloth

At the edge of the orchard, standing very still and watching us intently was a Pale Suit… [I was] unable to take my eyes from the stain of the juice on the white table-cloth.

Then I went inside to where the stomach bow hung on the wall Then I went inside to where the stomach bow hung on the wall. I concentrated on the instrument. Nothing

Then I went inside to where the stomach bow hung on the wall Then I went inside to where the stomach bow hung on the wall. I concentrated on the instrument, listening for the hum of its fibre string. Nothing

When I saw the orchard I stopped When I saw the orchard I stopped. Not a single pomegranate remained on the trees. In the middle of the orchard... was my Grandfather

When I saw the orchard I stopped When I saw the orchard I stopped. Not a single Pomegranate remained on the trees. In the middle of the orchard...was my grandfather.

FREED at last from the intolerable burden of his memories

FREED at last from the intolerable burdens of his memories

I could not stay to watch the final decline of the house. I could see my grandfather wandering through it’s empty rooms.

I could not stay to watch the final decline of the house. I saw my grandfather wandering through its empty rooms...

…I set off for the mountains that night.

I set off for the mountains that night