In this thread I thought all of you fantasists and dreamers on the forum could share your favorite moments in Smith's fiction and poetry (and perhaps visual art). This would give an idea why in particular you like Clark Ashton Smith, and generally why he is appreciated. It could be a single impression, or more extended story structure, or if hidden allegorical meanings are important to you.

I will begin, with three random, that spontaneously come to mind:

The Dark Eidolon: The "crimson-wattled things, half dragon, half man", guarding the portals of Namirrha's house, "sweeping their wattles like bloody besoms on the the flags of dark onyx". They are truly bizarre, and unique imaginative creations. I can't see where Clark took inspiration for this from. I wonder what they would have looked like, if ever there was a movie made from this story. Probably a dissapointment, unless crafted by a master artist (like Phil Tippett).

The Black Abbot of Puthuum: I have expressed my appreciation for sunsets before. On Zothique the sun is at sunset all through the day. "Noon, with its sun of candent copper in a blackish-blue zenith", in its story context, is for me the ultimate descripitve line. What beauty! He has an incredible sense for colors, and for genuine inner qualities. Even better at dying suns than Jack Vance.

The Enchantress of Sylaire: With a few carefully choosen lines, Smith manages to conjure a beautiful full-bodied woman, rising like Venus from a pool.

Knygatin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In this thread I thought all of you fantasists and
> dreamers on the forum could share your favorite
> moments in Smith's fiction and poetry (and perhaps
> visual art). This would give an idea why in
> particular you like Clark Ashton Smith, and
> generally why he is appreciated. It could be a
> single impression, or more extended story
> structure, or if hidden allegorical meanings are
> important to you.
>
> I will begin, with three random, that
> spontaneously come to mind:
>
> The Dark Eidolon: The "crimson-wattled things,
> half dragon, half man", guarding the portals of
> Namirrha's house, "sweeping their wattles like
> bloody besoms on the the flags of dark onyx". They
> are truly bizarre, and unique imaginative
> creations. I can't see where Clark took
> inspiration for this from. I wonder what they
> would have looked like, if ever there was a movie
> made from this story. Probably a dissapointment,
> unless crafted by a master artist (like Phil
> Tippett).
>
> The Black Abbot of Puthuum: I have expressed my
> appreciation for sunsets before. On Zothique the
> sun is at sunset all through the day. "Noon, with
> its sun of candent copper in a blackish-blue
> zenith", in its story context, is for me the
> ultimate descripitve line. What beauty! He has an
> incredible sense for colors, and for genuine inner
> qualities. Even better at dying suns than Jack
> Vance.
>
> The Enchantress of Sylaire: With a few carefully
> choosen lines, Smith manages to conjure a
> beautiful full-bodied woman, rising like Venus
> from a pool.


I love Genius Loci, Black Abbott and indeed there are memorable factors in almost all the tales that keep one coming back to them again and again, year after year -
my favorite lines are in the poetry - most particularaly, in "Not Altogether Sleep": "...where time shall have none other pendulum, than the remembered pulsings of thy heart." - what a line!

calonlan Wrote:
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> my favorite lines are in the poetry - most
> particularaly, in "Not Altogether Sleep":
> "...where time shall have none other pendulum,
> than the remembered pulsings of thy heart." - what
> a line!

That is a beautiful capture of the one true personal love, trancending the carnal and moving on from one incarnation to the next. "The Dragon-Fly" has the beginning spark of similar perspective, but in universal love.

delete



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 5 Apr 09 | 06:12AM by Knygatin.

I particularly enjoy the beginning quote from Ubbo-Sathla;

For Ubbo-Sathla is the source and the end. Before the coming of Zhothaqquah or Yok-Zothoth or Kthulhut from the stars, Ubbo-Sathla dwelt in the steaming fens of the newmade Earth: a mass without head or members, spawning the grey, formless efts of the prime and the grisly prototypes of terrene life . . . And all earthly life, it is told, shall go back at last through the great circle of time to Ubbo-Sathla.

From The Book of Eibon.

I like the impression it gives of the divine, amoebic Demiurge. A greatly amusing idea. That quote allways comes to my mind when I hear any more about the whole evolution controversies that crop up of recent years.

The time-line descriptions in The The Plutonian Drug are beautifully written though probably a little too long to quote here. They make a slightly predicable story seem surprisingly vivid.

These lines from Nyctalops

—We have seen strange atoms
Trysting on the air—
The dust of vanished lovers
Long parted in despair, ...