This morning while practicing pottery, I would say without pun that the clay played a trick on me. 

From a natural crucible, I grabbed this tender and sticky rock to make up your face and body. The yellowish coating lightened as it dried like a stocking that molds, adheres to the body and wrinkles accentuating your furrows and fine lines. This paste penetrates and prints deep laces on your belly, similar to those of sand when the sea recedes.

I then have a vision: you suddenly become a centenarian with features torn apart by life or a man from beyond, ageless, undated. 

This experience worthy of a real masquerade suddenly projected you into the future. I continued to look at you and love you like this, with fear I confess, for the passage is brutal, unreal and unexpected. The clay with rejuvenating properties then became an elixir of degeneration. 

I then rubbed in the bath to remove any unnecessary roughness and fortunately you became again you, resurrected and softened. This exfoliation has allowed you to wear a new smooth and luminous skin, which artfully embellishes the original. 

For our years to come, it is encouraging to always succumb to the charm of an old clay man!

To be continued…

Author(s)

  • fabienneherbane

    Novelist

    Fabienne Herbane graduated from  Paris IX Dauphine University in management and got a Master in  sociology of organizations. Then she became a professional in the Air Transport Industry. Surprisingly she leaves the Industry. Her real passion was elsewhere. During her Master she enjoyed studying, reading and she discovered the diversity of Cultures and Traditions. Mixed with childhood dreams this triggered her decision to start a new life. Her curiosity to learn, her open mind were enriched while traveling. She focussed her experience, her ability for observation on the understanding and the respect of traditions in this modern world. Writing is her literary and lively way to share her passion and her human adventures.