There lies in that vast land between reality and imagination an
enchanted kingdom, a city by the lake where the embers never fade.  This
land is called Listessa.  Its location is unknown to all but its
inhabitants, and it lies somewhere amongst the tall tees.  No one knows
exactly how it got there. Perhaps a landslide brought it down.
        Listessa is ruled kindly and fairly but firmly by King Karl, the one
who has been there since the beginning, when the trumpets blew and angels
flew.  He was the first inhabitant of Listessa.King Karl halways has time
for others, never asking them to be quiet because he is sleeping.  Some say
he created Listessa, but most say that its fullness and diversity were
created only when its inhabitants immigrated there. Listessa, then, is a
melting post of many cultures and beliefs all brought together by one thing.
That thing is the four Great Ones for whom the land was created.
        These four call themselves The Smashing Pumpkins, and despite their
unusual name, they have changed the lives of the many people of Listessa.
The leader of the Great Ones is Billy, a tyrant of almost biblical
proportions.  He is well-loved despite his occasional rants.  He gives to
the people of Listessa hope and understanding.  They relate to this Great
One because he seems to understand what it is like to be young, as many
Listessans are.  He also gives youth an vigor to the older Listessans.  The
second of the Great Ones is James.  He is loved for his sense of humor,
envied and unmatched by most, as well as for his ability to offset the
personality of the Great Pumpkin Billy.  D'arcy is the beautiful goddess of
the group, the one who can have both a calming effect and a catalystic
effect on the others at the same time.  Jimmy is the quietest of the Great
Ones, and he is a mystery to most.  But he is very talented and willing to
share hin his love for music, and that is why he is one of the great ones.
        Listessans live to hear the words of these Great Ones, crooned
sweetly or screamed full of angst.  They always hear the words that are
being sung in these songs, because the language of Listessans is called
"Corgan," the language invented by the Great Pumpkin Billy.  In the land,
many try to imitate these Great Ones because they are so loved.  And a few
succeed, making all the others proud.  These successful people usually go on
to dream of their own lives and bleed in their own lights.
        Listessans have, as mentioned before, many different cultures,
races, and religions.  But each Listessan brings his own kind of beauty to
the land.  Some amuse others with humorous stories, making references to the
works of the Great Ones.  Some emulate the music.  Some just listen to what
all the others have to say and use these words in their own lives.  Every
Listessan is very different, and so occasionally there are problems with
some Listessans trying to torch the souls of other Listessans in an attempt
to make their own views seem to be correct.
        King Karl has kept these people in check over the years by asking
them not to make their grievances public and to take any problem directly to
the individual.  This usually works; King Karl is very wise.  But sometimes,
these problems take on larger proportions, and so King Karl commissioned
Prince Eric of Wisconsin to write a constitution for the land.  It was
written and is maintained by Prince Eric, though it greatly benefits from
the input of others.  The Constitution of Listessa, usually referred to as
the "Smashing Pumpkins FAQ" is a well-written document, to which Listessans
now turn when they have a question of interpretation or are arguing about
factual information.
        As for the people of Listessa.  What do they do on a regular basis?
Well, the Listessans are all members of other nations as well as Listessa
(the only place in the world known to allow dual citizenship).  They go to
work or school every day and come home to see what is going on in Listessa.
Those who explore Listessa by day walk in the sun.  Some of these never feel
the light, and others are frail and bedazzled by all the glare.  Those who
walk Listessa in the night can almost always see the stars falling.  A
Listessan chooses when he will enter the land, and the land is always
waiting.  After all, we all know that time is never time at all. Some
Listessans are intoxicated with their madness or in love with their sadness.
But they feel better when they lie with the stars in their eyes.  IN this
land the people can lose themselves.  In all the time I've been a citizen of
Listessa, I've never once heard the plea, "Let me out!"

        --by Jody Woodruff.


"Is you innocence all that you can give?"
                --Billy, Marquis in Spades.