Music World

Music World

Elvyn Gretch had been through this part of the Everglades swamp many, many times. He loved the drooping bald cypress, water tupelo and sturdy giant oak trees. The branches were like long arms stretching into the water as if they reaching were for something and had gotten stuck.

If the trees could talk the tales they could tell of lost voyagers, indigenous tribes and of crimes that remained a secret. The wooden soldiers blended into the water like paint on an easel meshed together with the brush stroke of a genius. Some of the trees looked like they had faces with mouths and eyes. In a child’s tale, Elvyn imagined that they could speak with deep, resonating voices.

There were all types of birds, mostly the larger variety like herons, egrets, ibises and storks. They had impossibly long legs and large beaks that allowed them to peck fish right out of the water. But, none were true songbirds and added nothing to the aural charm to the swamps.

The waters were infested with all types of fish and one wondered how big they grew since no fishing was allowed and a no poaching policy was strictly enforced.  They had large teeth and although not as dangerous and menacing as the gators, they could definitely kill on a moment’s notice. It was never safe to go into the water.

There were rats and other critters that made one’s flesh crawl. The same theory that applied to the fish applied to the rats. They could grow to monstrous sizes and the larger the specimen, the more threat and danger it could promise.

If anything, the swamps were quiet, serene, yet they spoke a million words subtly. If a flock of birds flew off in a hurry then there was something around usually a gator looking for an easy meal. The marshes played tricks with sounds because noises echoed and ricochet bouncing around making it very hard to pinpoint an exact source.

He was an artist and would sometimes park the flatboat along a certain section and sketch for hours. It was always done during the daytime, because once the sun set, the swamps weren’t a really nice place to visit. The gators came out in droves and there was something forbidding about the place.

Strange shadows moved in the night. The swamps were deep, mysterious and there was no telling what lurked behind the giant trees or in the mirky waters that divulged no secrets.  

The idea of banging into a hungry gator or a congregation of them wasn’t an inviting proposal. There were also bats and they swarm alone. The cauldron of bats could mob an individual, tip a boat and enable the congregation of gators to an easy meal.

Elvyn had never ventured into the marsh at night. It was too spooky and creepy. He knew about the gators and the bats and the strange noises, but there was more. When darkness descended on the moody waters then certain things happened: tree came alive moving those arms that seem stuck during the day. Other things would cruise through the water and the air with undefined shapes.

Elvyn moved the boat through the water gently so not to scare up anything or attract unwanted attention. He always worked down the slight part of the river and then off the main branch to a secluded little alcove. It was there that he sketched his stuff. His back was always against an impenetrable wall of trees.

One day, the young artist decided to find a way through the impenetrable wall of trees to see what was on the other side. There had to be an opening even though it seemed like there wasn’t. He had tried a couple of times, but had grown frustrated. The on this particular adventure, he found a chink in the armour.

There was a slight opening and it didn’t seem like one at all. The flatboat was almost too wide, but he managed to get it through the narrow fissure and emerged on the other side.  

He wasn’t prepared for what was on that other side.

All the trees and plants were in the shape of a musical reference. The large trees looked like giant guitars, basses, and violins. But it was the guitar tree that stood out. It was round at the base and then narrowed as it reached for the sky. There were six tiny branches sticking out of the very end that looked like tuning pegs. There were marking that started from near the base of the tree that stretched all the way to almost the top. They looked like guitar strings.

There were beautiful coloured flowers that were shaped like horns. They were all set in a row on the right hand side of the guitar tree. There was another row on the left hand side that also looked like horns but a different type.

There was a log sitting on a tiny island that had branches sticking out of it. It looked like a harp.  

There as another island that had a bunch of round stumps on it. They all looked like drums of various sizes and shapes. There were two sticks sitting across one of the larger drums.

On a different island, there was a tree that had been sheered from a storm. The piece that was left looked like a piano. It had cuts into it that looked like keys.

There were other plants that were shaped like instruments. Some of the flowers looked like drums sticks, while others looked like harmonicas, flutes and piccolos.  

Elvyn didn’t know what to say or do. He just sat down for a long minute and then pulled out his sketch pad. He began to draw all types of pictures and was very pleased with everything when he was done.

It was strange that there were no animals around or people. Who had created all of this? Or was it a freak of nature? It was indeed a strange world. Luckily he had brought his camera along (something he didn’t always do) and took several pictures. 

“This is going to make a very interesting mural.”

He looked around hoping that something or someone would show up.  

Just as he was about to give up hope a little bird appeared. It hopped on the one log that had a bunch of holes in it and created a different note with every jump. It was sweet and musical and magical.

Then the little multi-coloured bird flew off. 

Elvyn wished he could have stayed for a long time, but he had to get back. There would be other days when he would break through the line of trees and explore what he dubbed Music World.