top of page

Claire with Chimp

2hey

00:00 / 01:02

CLAIRE'S MUSICAL ADVENTURE:
PART FIVE

Sad Chimp with a Banana

Claire soared above the enchanted forest. Suddenly she noticed something she had never seen before in the forest: A chimpanzee holding a banana. She swooped down and started up a conversation.
"How are you today, kind sir?" Claire asked. "If you don't me saying, you look kind of sad."
The chimp looked Claire straight in the eye, "Yeah, this banana is all I have left to eat. I used to be a human being," The chimp answered. "One day, when I woke up and looked in the mirror, I discovered that I had turned into a chimpanzee. Every one else I know had also turned into a chimpanzee. I soon discovered that the King had renamed the realm 'Banana Republic Land' and had turned us all into hairy primates."
Claire asked, "That's strange. Why do you think he did that?"

Knight Riding through Lupine and Poppies

"I used to be a knight of the realm," the chimp replied. "I suspect that the King and his court have cleverly made all of us poor while channeling the vast majority of wealth into their own pockets. Being a knight used to be a respected position in society, but the King demands absolute royalty. If you don't swear complete loyalty to the King and instead take an oath to support the constitution, he turns you into a chimp so that you don't threaten to bring him to justice as he and his loyal friends break the law and violate the constitution to expand their power and wealth."
"What's it like to be a chimpanzee? If you don't mind me asking," Claire inquired.

Grocery Shopping

"Well, first of all, they turn you into a wage slave. They don't provide health insurance or a pension while at the same time they make wages stagnant as prices increase dramatically. It feel almost traumatic when you go to the grocery store. They want to traumatize people who work for a living, I think."
"But why would they do that?"

Paying Bills

"They want us to go deep into debt. That way they amass huge fortunes as we pay off our credit cards and mortgages and cars and our health insurance premiums. To be honest, I felt more and more like a chimp every time I paid the bills. I think turning into a chimp might have been a long process that we have been conditioned to believe is just the way life is--a life of wage slavery and fealty to our employers since we would starve and become destitute and homeless if we didn't work our tails off for the rich."

Teaching

"Can't you find a way to break out of that kind of slavery?" Claire asked.
"You can become a rock star, I suppose, or receive an inheritance if you're lucky. Otherwise you have to work for a living. For a while I was a teacher. Even though I had worked long and hard to become qualified, I only received a half-decent wage without benefits like health insurance or a pension. I was rehired every semester, so I couldn't speak truth to power without risking my job, which is eventually what happened since I was once a knight. They found a way to exploit teachers and make them feel like chimps."

After the Fire

"I can see how turning into a chimp turned out to be a long process," Claire responded.
"Yeah, I was un-rehired one semester because I protested against injustice one too many times," the chimp replied. "My rent kept going up, but it didn't matter because a fire swept through my neighborhood and burned down my apartment. Rich people bought off the politicians so that the 'lawmakers' wouldn't do anything to stop climate disruption. The region had become so dry that a whole city burned down in no time. By that time, I was really feeling like a chimp."
"I think I would get pretty angry if that happened to me," Claire replied.

After the Drone Strike

"Yeah, I got angry and began to complain vehemently and to join protests as often as I could. Fortunately I found another place to live, but the authorities labeled me a terrorist and blew up my apartment with a weaponized drone. They had determined that I am 'anti-capitalist' and 'extremist' and 'unpatriotic' and 'immoral' and 'anti-Christian' even though I try to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and try to manifest the Christ-force in every way that I can," the chimp stated.

Homeless

"What happened after that?" Claire asked.
"Well, I lost my job because my employer found out that the authorities had labeled me a 'terrorist.' He didn't want them to blow up his place of business, so I became homeless. I hung out with other chimps on the street and moved around a lot. That way, the murderers couldn't find me," the chimp responded.

Claire and Thomas Singing to Chimp

"I'm going to find my faery friend Thomas. We make beautiful music together with our hearts. We might make you feel better."

Golden Temple

Claire returned with Thomas, and they sang beautifully together. As they sang, the chimp imagined a golden temple in the forest.

Ace of Pentacles

Then the chimp imagined a path to a celestial city in the sky. "Your music is making me feel better already," the chimp admitted .

Angel in Flowers

Then as the Claire and Thomas continued to sing, the chimp imagined a beautiful angel standing in a field of flowers. "The angel is so beautiful," the chimp murmured.

Owl's Clover

Then the chimp remembered a hillside blanketed by owl's clover. "Before I saw the owl's clover, I didn't know I could love flowers so much," the chimp quietly confessed.

Owls Clover Faery

Then the chimp imagined a faery in the owl's clover. "Wow, I am seeing the spiritual side to nature," the chimp whispered as he smiled.

Rainbow Goddess

Then the chimp imagined a rainbow Goddess standing in flowers. "She's so beautiful, but I think she represents something spiritual--like maybe the victory of love and beauty in this world--despite all the exploitation and ugliness and horror that we can end up experiencing.

Chimp with Wings

Suddenly the chimp sprouted angel wings and soared high above the forest.

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

24hey

00:00 / 03:14

Claire with the Chimp

entngl

00:00 / 04:07

CLAIRE'S MUSICAL ADVENTURE:
PART SIX

Tapestry of Love

One day Claire noticed the chimp in the forest below, and she spiraled down to greet him. When the chimp saw her, he immediately covered his eyes with his hands.
"Mr. Chimp, it's just me, Claire. Why are you covering your eyes?" Claire asked.
"Because I'm afraid you're not real," The chimp answered.
Claire asked, "Why do you think that?"
Claire asked, "I was imagining a tapestry of love showing me and a person I loved when I was still human, that is, before I was turned into a chimp."

El Presidente Explaining Reality

The chimp continued, "Then El Presidente talked to me and explained that I should only believe what he says. Everything else is just fake news. I shouldn't believe anything I see with my own eyes. If I do, and I start criticizing him for anything, he will send a weaponized drone to obliterate me."
"Oh, and he doesn't want you to talk about anything unusual that you've experienced? Like being friends with me?" Claire inquired.
"Yes, that's right. If I do, he will consider me a left-wing radical lunitic terrorist and blow me up," the chimp groaned.

Chimp with Mr. Mellifluous

The chimp continued, "Not long after El Presidente left, Mr. Mellifluous came to see me. I didn't want to offend Mr. M, but I immediately covered my eyes so that I wouldn't get blown up by a weaponized drone. Fortunately Mr. M understood because El Presidente had threatened to execute all gnomes for being ugly left-wing liberal terrorists who disrupt the social order with magic."
"What does El Presidente say about faeries?" Claire asked.
"I don't think El Presidente likes anything magical," the chimp replied.

Chimp with Pixey

"Please don't be offended, Claire. I also covered my eyes when I saw a pixey."
"No worries, Mr. Chimp. I understand," Claire responded.

Chimp with Demon

"El Presidente also claimed that he wouldn't ever send hordes of demons out into the realm to terrify people. He claimed that only left-wing radicals would do that, so I guess the left-wing lunatics were trying to scare me," the chimp replied.

Chimp with Breakers into Pieces

"El Presidente also claimed that he wouldn't ever send breakers into pieces out into the realm to tear everything down. Sometimes it seems like El Presidente is breaking everything to pieces," the chimp continued, "but that can't be true. He told me that he would never do that."

Chimp with the Burner

"El Presidente also swore that he wouldn't ever send the burners out into the realm to burn everything down. Sometimes it seems like El Presidente is burning everything to to the ground," the chimp continued, "but that can't be true either. He told me that he would never do that."

Chimp with a Wizard

"I probably shouldn't tell you this either," the chimp continued. "I saw a wizard for a second before I could cover my eyes. I don't want anyone to think that I have anything to do with magic."

Archangel Michael

"Please don't tell anyone this either, Claire. I think the wizard invoked the Archangel Michael, who got rid of the demons and the Breakers into Pieces, and the Burners, at least here in the enchanted forest."

Chimp with an Angel

"Then an angel appeared in my tapestry of reality. Angels are usually so focused on their purpose that they totally ignore me.

The Angel of the Open Heart

"But then I saw the Angel of the Open Heart, and she seemed to be trying to tell me that I should open my heart. Please don't tell anyone I told you that, Claire. They will think that I am a babbling left-wing lunatic," the chimp complained .

Chimp with Ghost

"Then I saw a ghost who looked like the person I loved before I was turned into a chimp. I felt so much sorrow that I thought I couldn't go on. I thought that she might have been killed by a weaponized drone or shot by an ICY agent," the chimp mourned.

Chimp with Archangel Raphael

"But the wizard must have invoked the Archangel Raphael," the chimp quietly confessed. "For soon I recovered from my grief when he tapped me with his sword. Raphael, as you know, is the 'Healer of God' who has healed me and many others, but don't tell anyone I said that."

Chimp with Aliens

The chimp continued, "Then I saw two aliens near me, but I don't want El Presidente to know that I think that he works with aliens in his efforts to become king of the world. El Presidente claimed that he would never do that either."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

Claire Talking with Rabbit

2elegy

00:00 / 01:08

CLAIRE'S MUSICAL ADVENTURE:
PART SEVEN

Thomas Caught in a Net

One Morning Claire couldn't find Thomas anywhere. Soon she came upon a rabbit.
"Mr. Rabbit, have you seen Thomas anywhere?" Claire asked.
"Please don't freak out," The rabbit answered. "But I saw Thomas caught in a net not far from here. ICY agents are here in the enchanted forest. They claim that all faeries are illegal immigrants from another realm. They are capturing faeries with nets and handcuffing them and wingcuffing them so they can't flap their wings and fly away. Then they are deporting them to concentration camps in other realms."
"Oh my, do you know where they are sending him?" Claire asked.
"I couldn't follow them. I don't have wings like you, you know."

Claire Searching for Thomas

Claire immediately flew off through the forest, but she couldn't find Thomas or ICY agents anywhere.

Claire Talking with Brown Bear

Soon she came upon a brown bear. "Mr. Brown Bear, have you seen Thomas anywhere?" Claire asked politely.
"Don't freak out, but I saw ICY agents handcuffing and wing-cuffing Thomas and dragging him away. I have never seen Thomas so angry," the brown bear replied.

Thomas Arrested by ICY Agent

"Why didn't you try to stop them!" Claire blurted out.
"Because they would have shot me in the head. They are trying to normalize the murder of citizens who disobey them. They are El Presidente's secret police force that gets away with murder because El Presidente wants to terrorize the population. He is a ruthless dictator after all," the bear replied.

Thomas in Concentration Camp

"El Presidente is sending even good faery citizens to concentration camps," the bear continued. "He wants a large slave force to do his bidding in the torture prisons. He starves them and works them to death while the prison industrial complex makes a killing."

Poppies in February

Claire was feeling very sad, so she flew over to a hillside blanketed by poppies.

Poppy Faery

Soon she found the poppy faery. "Good faery friend, can you help me find Thomas? He has been kidnapped and will no doubt be deported. We have to find him soon!" Claire exclaimed. "Please help me! We need to help him escape!"
The poppy faery looked at Claire sadly and replied, "My good faery friend, I have to stay here and take carry of my poppies. I'm sorry, Claire, but that's my job."
Claire was beginning to feel very sad, and she started to panic.

Moon Goddess

Claire flew all over the enchanted forest but couldn't find Thomas anywhere. A full moon rose above the mountains, and the Moon Goddess suddenly appeared.

"Please, beloved Moon Goddess, please help me find Thomas! He is about to be deported to a

concentration camp!" Claire exclaimed.

"Dear faery, I have a very important job to do. I influence the tides and the imaginations of humans

and faeries. Unfortunately I also turn some people into lunatics who want to rule the entire world.

I'm sorry that I can't help you now, dear child."

Rainbow Goddess

In the morning, Claire encountered a Rainbow Goddess standing in an array of flowers. "Please, beloved Rainbow Goddess, please help me find Thomas! He is about to be deported to a concentration camp!" Claire exclaimed.
"Dear faery child, I have a very important job to do. I am responsible for all the colors and all the diversity in the world. Unfortunately, I have to deal with a few people who want to demonize diversity so that they can profit through the exhaustion of resources and people. I'm very sorry that I can't help you now, dear child. One thing that you can do, though, is to open your heart to all the people and creatures of the earth. Let your heart guide you, and you might find Thomas and help him escape."

Claire above the City

Claire decided that she might find somebody who could hear the music in her heart and help her find Thomas, so she flew to the city.

Claire above a City Street

At first, Claire thought that there were so many people that one of them would surely hear the music in her heart and help her, but she couldn't hear music in the heart of anybody there in the city. She felt so lonely and disappointed that she finally gave up.

Claire above Chimps

Then Claire saw a large group of chimps below her. They all had chaotic noise in their hearts, as if the world had treated them very badly. Claire couldn't blame them for not hearing the music in her heart. She suspected that some people who had been turned into chimps in Banana Republic Land were more courageous and strong and compassionate than other people who had experienced an easier life.

Chimps with Red Badges

Then a group of chimps with red badges marched below her. They seemed fearful and angry and hateful and looked like they wanted to hurt someone--perhaps someone who didn't share their beliefs. Claire realized that it might be dangerous to bother them.

Claire Talking to a Bird

Suddenly a bird landed on a twig next to Claire, and Claire asked the bird if it had seen Thomas.
The bird replied, "If you mean another faery like you--I think I have. Don't freak out, but he is in a chimp 'detention camp' not far from here. Follow me, and I'll show you where he is."

Thomas in Chimp Concentration Camp

Claire flew behind the bird, and sure enough, she saw Thomas below in the concentration camp. He looked like an angry teenager who felt like he had experienced a terrible injustice.

Escaping the Concentration Camp

As Claire removed the wing-cuffs, Thomas explained that he had originally been sent to a concentration camp for humans, but the commandant decided that he was so much of a freak and so much of a radical left-wing lunatic that the commandant had transferred him to a chimp concentration full of left-wing lunatic chimps. As Thomas escaped with Claire, he felt like a happy young faery once again. (However, he kept wondering how he could help all of the chimps to escape without the guards killing them all. He felt sorry for the chimps for many months afterwards.)

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

elegy

00:00 / 03:44

The "Flying Chimps" Paramilitary Force

2vib

00:00 / 01:36

CLAIRE'S MUSICAL ADVENTURES:
PART EIGHT

Talking with the Faery Queen

"Dear Faery Queen, your Majesty, we need to find some way to protect ourselves from the ruthless dictator. He might send the Flying Chimps to our realm to abduct the King. The Flying Chimps almost abducted me the last time they were here, you know."
"Yes, dear child, why don't you talk to the leader of the dragon faeries and see what he thinks?" the Queen agreed.

Talking with the Dragon Faery Leader

"Yes, I will speak to the dragon faery leader, and I will say, 'The Queen is hoping that you heroic dragon faeries will protect us from the Flying Chimps and the ICY chaos agents who abduct us and brutalize us,'" Claire stated.
"Yes, very good. I think that might work," the Queen responded.

Invasion of the Chimps

The Queen continued, "Those awful chimps are no match for our dragons. I'm sure they'll think twice about trying to abduct us and brutalize us if they have to fight our ferocious dragon faeries. Good thinking, Claire."
"Thank you, your Majesty," Claire curtsied as she replied.

Abducted

"One of those awful chimps almost abducted me! They have abducted so many innocent faeries and sent them to concentration camps. I shudder to think what it would have been like if they had grabbed me!" Claire blurted out.

Arrested by ICY Agent

"And you know those awful ICY chaos agents kidnapped Thomas," Claire continued. "I had to help Thomas escape from the concentration camp!"
"Brave child," the Queen replied. "So many faeries are now in concentration camps! I shudder to think what the powerful, wealthy people and the prison guards do to our lovely young faeries. Maybe the dragon faeries can help them escape!"
"If I can do it, I'm sure they can too," Claire responded.

El Presidente and His Advisor

The Queen continued, "I've heard that the Dictator's advisor is a total psychopath who can persuade El Dictator to do all sorts of horrible things."

Obliterated in International Waters

"Like obliterating people in boats in international waters and shooting Christian mothers in the head and bombing other countries and kidnapping people?" Claire asked.
"Yes, just like that. I'm surprised you know about all that."
"I'm sure all faeries who are even half-awake know about all that by now, your Majesty," Claire replied.

Golden Gifts and Puppies for El Presidente

The Queen suggested, "Another way we might deal with the fascists is by giving El Presidente expensive presents and puppies. Many other leaders have bribed El Presidente to keep him from invading their country or doing some other terrible thing. El Presidente loves bribes; that's why he threatens corporations and other countries all the time. I've heard that El Presidente gives the puppies to the head of the Department of Homeland Security and never sees them again."

Hunger

"I've heard that all of the polititians in the dictator's party are horrible people, possibly even sociopaths. They want to starve children and eliminate health care just so they can give huge tax breaks to billionaires!" Claire exclaimed.
"No doubt most--if not all--of them are somewhere on the spectrum of sociopathy. They would have to be," the Queen agreed.

Clear Cut of the Enchanted Forest

"They want to take away our public lands. They want to destroy our home. It's just too difficult to even imagine!" Claire blurted out.

Climate Disruption Disaster

"Even worse than that--climate disruption is reducing our forests to dirt and ash, and they're doing nothing about it. Allowing corporations to destroy the planet is the height of insanity," the Queen stated. "Yeah, instead they could be investing in renewable energy, which would be a lot cheaper and certainly less disruptive than invading other countries," Claire replied.
"You are so right, dear child," the Queen agreed.

Invasion of the Faery Realm

"I'm afraid that they are doing to invade our beloved faery realm," the Queen lamented.
"I doubt it. We don't have any oil. They might want to cut down all of our trees though," Claire replied.

Faery Knight

"I think you're right. We can't trust those heartless psychos. We need to do everything we can to defend our realm. Perhaps you could convince the faery knights to join the cause."

Faery Knight Riding a Wolf

Claire replied, "It's certainly worth a try, your Majesty. Some of the wolves they ride into battle are pretty ferocious."

Talking to a Dragon Soldier

"The knights could fight with the dragon soldiers," Claire suggested. "Even though the other side has terrible weapons, our side might win. Our soldiers are certainly courageous enough, your Majesty. If nothing else, we need to be courageous enough to protest."

Faery in Chimp Concentration Camp

"Yes, and maybe we could liberate all of the faeries from the chimp concentration camps. We have to show those radical right-wing lunatics that we are not going to give up easily."

All poems, stories, essays, illustrations, and music Copyright © 2025 by Jim Robbins.

vibn25

00:00 / 03:50

bottom of page