Transient

Movement in Transmetropolitan, led by Fred Christ. The principle behind it was the temping, or splicing, your genes with alien genes.

No Transient fully became Alien, they got stuck in a combination human/Alien form. They eventualy tried to succede their section of the city, Angels 8 from the City, but were violenty prevented from doing so by the police when a riot started. The Transients were saved from further death by Spider Jerusalem's reporting live from the riot, since he was the only reporter there.

The City squares away her fractal tetris,
caked in tarmac, grit and gold.
the earth beneath her stirring, reckless.
Sodden sand would loose her hold.

Her Orpheus, her dark Columbus,
The Reverend steps through hidden veins,
below the trains and one-pot Thames
he paces out his quiet reign.

Above, our Eden rough and tumble
lives recycled by the bridge.
Deserted streets past peak hour rumble
flushed with fungal genesis.

Tonight we found a cache of bounty.
A careless truck left stock behind
Rainbow liquor, crated, candied
painting tongues and lolling minds.

The fire burnt its brand of blessing
on a flush of crowns all mussed and old,
unhinged monarchs of shifty nations
and shy faced cards who's tricks unfold

Dawn will hear my last Hoorah,
a drum roll for the final beat
no bowing soft, no last encore.
I feel some jagged piece retreat.

Stirring through the smoky column,
through the bridge to catch a train.
It finds the close packed 7.05
grey faced souls. Begins again.

The phantom finds another partner
between the barely conscious minds,
some wrapped in happy bedlam, others
glued to lurv in sticky binds.

I watch him jump with new awareness
a sudden flash of widened eyes,
too raw for pressing mobs, he panics
I wish him luck and say
Goodbye.

Entry for the Wordmongers' Masque: Poets' Ball

Tran"sient (?), a. [L. transiens, -entis, p. pr. of transire, transitum, to go or pass over. See Trance.]

1.

Passing before the sight or perception, or, as it were, moving over or across a space or scene viewed, and then disappearing; hence, of short duration; not permanent; not lasting or durable; not stationary; passing; fleeting; brief; transitory; as, transient pleasure.

"Measured this transient world."

Milton.

2.

Hasty; momentary; imperfect; brief; as, a transient view of a landscape.

3.

Staying for a short time; not regular or permanent; as, a transient guest; transient boarders.

[Colloq. U.S.]

Syn. -- Transient, Transitory, Fleeting. Transient represents a thing as brief at the best; transitory, as liable at any moment to pass away. Fleeting goes further, and represents it as in the act of taking its flight. Life is transient; its joys are transitory; its hours are fleeting.

What is loose love? A transient gust. Pope

If [we love] transitory things, which soon decay, Age must be loveliest at the latest day. Donne.

O fleeting joys Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes. Milton.

-- Tran"sient*ly (#), adv. -- Tran"sient*ness, n.

 

© Webster 1913.

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Tran"sient, n.

That which remains but for a brief time.

Glanvill.

 

© Webster 1913.