As a bioluminescent flying organism myself, I have a particular penchant for “giving a hoot” about both the sordid lack of funds for varied tactical reality campaigns and the ambiguous light-forms concerned. Equally admonished by my attention is the rising wave of scotological extremists clamoring for an outlandish void of autonomous lucidity lest it interfere with the reception of sanctioned astronomies.  Of such autonomous activity, bioluminaries, including Will-o-the-Whisps, the Min Min Light,  The Hornet Spooklight and St. Elmo’s fire find themselves faced with bouts of structural unemployment and the increasing demands of dark sky desperados.

It would not be unprecedented for a total recall of such uppity astronomers’ dim ideals.  Outmoded it seems are the now languishing liberal attitudes towards anomalous phenomena of the air.  Where as once giddy onlookers found Martian canals, lost planets and phantom airships in most any instance of atmospheric light-leak, such elements are now implicated as latent light pollution if paid attention at all.  If aforementioned geo-hacks are the craze, then bring forth a battalion of stones painted with alien craft, of mountains adorned with undulating orbs of the unknown…that these direct action paintings might summon forth falls of bioluminescent dissent en masse, recharging uncertain imaginaries, pronto!

Still, the owl form appears—a laughable skeuomorph idling on fence posts and decrepit walls, a cheap mimicry that betrays the adaptive strategies of these noble creatures.  Like a small maple syrup jug with non-functional handle, these false idols are scattered about the countryside, dismissed by would be prey, gaudy deterrence machines all told.  Yes, yes– these regionally iterative trompe l’oeil reveal in reverse the mutant outgrowth of what was once called the picturesque.  Or, in other words, they reek of an inadequate ability to reset the sleep/wake cycle in response to info-environmental time cues, i.e. history is spatial: technocultural jet-lag.

This Owl is purported to be omniscient, panopticonscious, densely networked and, at times, creepy as all hell. Rarely materialized into “humanoid” form at Weird Fiction event-scenes, yet always quick to followup with reviews and anecdotes related to any particular evening’s occurrences. Some audiences have reported hearing a faint fluttering of wings, incessant ringing of phones and other anomalous sounds.

While shy of a confirmed link, or two, there is reason enough to consider the “Mothman,” or “Bird man” as an adjunct operative. Zoological authorities will always laugh off any cryptid by pointing to a commonplace look-a-like. In presence of Mothmania circa 1966-67 and onwards, experts aplenty have cited the barn owl to quell anxious denizens of the West Virginian countryside.

Truly, the colossal corpus and red glaring eyes don’t compute with typical taxonomies of owls but the point here is not merely Fortean notions of intermediacy. Owls, especially the species inhabiting info-ecosystems, are most curious and perhaps paranormal creatures, to be wary of…

Visual associations aside, This Owl, like the Mothman (and so many other monstrous creatures) is also a sort of portent or omen of impending crises. Alas, as noted, the heat is close at hand and my Metaphortean diagnostics are greatly incapacitated presently. I will have to end here, taking cover in shadier climes for a spell.

Occupation airwaves
coming to close
frequency bands; leaving the graves
acronyms align
while ghost-eaters doze

This Owl, out, out,
Out on the tune.
No way, not worried about the
electric life on the Moon.
“Oedipus Owl!”
Hear the Children croon?

This transmission just in:

“Our group is called weird fiction. Today we will be exploring the electronic frontier. We are looking for things that we don’t usually see in these spaces. We’ll be going up mountains, we’ll be going down to the depths of the ocean.

Have you noticed that in mythologies all over the world owls are involved?

Stole that grey matter, those ideas, sell them back to you. So the owl character tries to prevent the youth from getting stolen. Usually the owl is there to protect the young people, so usually the owl, as a representation of wisdon, sits on the shoulder of a young person, princes are…like this….thank you. So oedipus and owl share an etymilogical root, which is not surprising.

So, one thing the owl does, is protect the young king, the young would-be king, the young prince, from his father. But, you are always a little bit scared about the owl. Notice the owl can often manifest itself in human form, they have a long beard, and a cane, and they look a little bit creepy.

And there always images of these young boys and these long bearded owl characters, and that is no different than the character army…what is different
what is different
what is different
what is different.”