Guardians of the Subterranean
by Shilo Cannon-Blackburn

Half eagle, half lion. Griffins are magnificent beasts with an ancient and glorious past going back 5,000 years before Christ. They're watchful and loyal, graceful and swift, rapacious and vengeful, monstrous and divine. They've guarded tombs and the treasures of ancient kings in Egypt and Mesopotamia. It's said they've pulled the chariots of Pharaoh, Alexander the Great and gods and goddesses like Apollo and Nemesis. Griffins have even been called the "hounds of Zeus." It's also believed their talons are magic and can detect poison; their feathers a cure for blindness. They are the mortal enemy of horses, the creatures of Poseidon.

Symbolically, because of their dual nature and mastery of both earth and sky, griffins combine intelligence with strength. And from Dante onward they've come to represent Christ's duality (His mortality and divinity), thus they're now seen as the enemy of snakes and basilisks, which are embodiments of Satan and his demons.

Immediately upon visualizing what my manhole cover looked like, I saw a griffin. I knew next to nothing about them at first, except they're creatures of fantasy; half eagle, half lion and guardians of treasures coveted. Upon finding the image of the girl and mythical creature, I knew I had my cover. Now, I just needed to put it together the way I saw it in my head.

The griffin and girl are perfect. The animal symbolizes strength and intelligence, of course, but also a wildness. A wildness the girl has tamed. I see myself very much like the griffin. I may be bound to the Earth by my disability and wheelchair, but my imagination has no such bounds. On the wings of a griffin, it soars high above, free and unfettered. The girl, however, keeps it in check. She keeps it from running too far away, keeps it from becoming too wild and keeps me firmly rooted in reality when I need it. She is the gentle Tamer.

Together, they're a perfect match; a perfect cover for my subterranean tunnels in which a whole world of possibilities and fantasy is just waiting to be explored by and introduced (just like this mine) to those who are waiting for new adventures--myself included. To me, this manhole cover is a gateway between the mundane and the imagination, where anything can and will happen. I am a lover of fairy tales, of folklore and legends, and I think the griffin and girl represent that love and will be seen (if not literally but figuratively) in my work.

Like all covers, or gateways, if not used or opened often, it will rust shut and become difficult to remove. But sometimes, though I've used this gateway plenty of times, it'll be hard to open. Why? Because of distractions. Inner disquiet; I get so bogged down with the desire to create an instant masterpiece that I often forget to relax, to remember to breathe and just let what comes flow onto the paper or screen. I need to remind myself I can always come back and rearrange and edit later. Fear also seals the lid tight. Fear that no one will like what I have written.

This is why I'm in the Alluvial Mine of Soul Food Cafe. To remove the lid and delve in to that world of possibilities and fantasy, to overcome my fear and go fffaaarrr, seeking better writing skills, seeking better self-understanding and possibly even my Eldorado.

The Alluvial Mine is the property of Heather Blakey and Miners who have generously shared their work. Please do not replicate any part of this mine without written permission.