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1 | how | ||
2 | to | ||
3 | read | ||
4 | this | ||
5 | this | ||
6 | book | ||
7 | is | ||
8 | an | ||
9 | exploration | ||
10 | of | ||
11 | life | ||
12 | of | ||
13 | all | ||
14 | possible | ||
15 | lives | ||
16 | that | ||
17 | could | ||
18 | be | ||
19 | lived | ||
20 | each | ||
21 | of | ||
22 | the | ||
23 | poems | ||
24 | contained | ||
25 | herein | ||
26 | have | ||
27 | been | ||
28 | written | ||
29 | by | ||
30 | a | ||
31 | different | ||
32 | person | ||
33 | with | ||
34 | his | ||
35 | own | ||
36 | history | ||
37 | culture | ||
38 | and | ||
39 | emotions | ||
40 | true | ||
41 | they | ||
42 | are | ||
43 | all | ||
44 | related | ||
45 | but | ||
46 | no | ||
47 | more | ||
48 | than | ||
49 | any | ||
50 | of | ||
51 | us | ||
52 | is | ||
53 | related | ||
54 | through | ||
55 | our | ||
56 | genetics | ||
57 | our | ||
58 | shared | ||
59 | planet | ||
60 | or | ||
61 | our | ||
62 | yearnings | ||
63 | fernando | ||
64 | pessoa | ||
65 | wrote | ||
66 | poems | ||
67 | under | ||
68 | four | ||
69 | different | ||
70 | identities | ||
71 | he | ||
72 | called | ||
73 | them | ||
74 | heteronyms | ||
75 | that | ||
76 | were | ||
77 | known | ||
78 | during | ||
79 | his | ||
80 | lifetime | ||
81 | though | ||
82 | after | ||
83 | his | ||
84 | death | ||
85 | over | ||
86 | sixty | ||
87 | have | ||
88 | been | ||
89 | found | ||
90 | and | ||
91 | catalogued | ||
92 | he | ||
93 | called | ||
94 | them | ||
95 | heteronyms | ||
96 | as | ||
97 | opposed | ||
98 | to | ||
99 | pseudonyms | ||
100 | because | ||
101 | they | ||
102 | were | ||
103 | much | ||
104 | more | ||
105 | than | ||
106 | names | ||
107 | he | ||
108 | wrote | ||
109 | under | ||
110 | they | ||
111 | were | ||
112 | truly | ||
113 | different | ||
114 | writing | ||
115 | selves | ||
116 | concerned | ||
117 | with | ||
118 | different | ||
119 | ideas | ||
120 | and | ||
121 | writing | ||
122 | with | ||
123 | different | ||
124 | styles | ||
125 | alberto | ||
126 | caeiro | ||
127 | wrote | ||
128 | pastorals | ||
129 | ricardo | ||
130 | reis | ||
131 | wrote | ||
132 | more | ||
133 | formal | ||
134 | odes | ||
135 | lvaro | ||
136 | de | ||
137 | campos | ||
138 | wrote | ||
139 | these | ||
140 | long | ||
141 | whitman-esque | ||
142 | pieces | ||
143 | one | ||
144 | to | ||
145 | whitman | ||
146 | himself | ||
147 | and | ||
148 | pessoa's | ||
149 | own | ||
150 | name | ||
151 | was | ||
152 | used | ||
153 | for | ||
154 | poems | ||
155 | that | ||
156 | are | ||
157 | kind | ||
158 | of | ||
159 | similar | ||
160 | to | ||
161 | all | ||
162 | the | ||
163 | others | ||
164 | it | ||
165 | seems | ||
166 | as | ||
167 | though | ||
168 | pessoa | ||
169 | found | ||
170 | it | ||
171 | inefficient | ||
172 | to | ||
173 | try | ||
174 | and | ||
175 | write | ||
176 | everything | ||
177 | he | ||
178 | wanted | ||
179 | only | ||
180 | in | ||
181 | his | ||
182 | own | ||
183 | self | ||
184 | rather | ||
185 | he | ||
186 | parceled | ||
187 | out | ||
188 | the | ||
189 | different | ||
190 | pieces | ||
191 | and | ||
192 | developed | ||
193 | them | ||
194 | into | ||
195 | full | ||
196 | identities | ||
197 | at | ||
198 | the | ||
199 | cost | ||
200 | of | ||
201 | his | ||
202 | own | ||
203 | i | ||
204 | subsist | ||
205 | as | ||
206 | a | ||
207 | kind | ||
208 | of | ||
209 | medium | ||
210 | of | ||
211 | myself | ||
212 | but | ||
213 | i'm | ||
214 | less | ||
215 | real | ||
216 | than | ||
217 | the | ||
218 | others | ||
219 | less | ||
220 | substantial | ||
221 | less | ||
222 | personal | ||
223 | and | ||
224 | easily | ||
225 | influenced | ||
226 | by | ||
227 | them | ||
228 | all | ||
229 | de | ||
230 | campos | ||
231 | said | ||
232 | of | ||
233 | him | ||
234 | at | ||
235 | one | ||
236 | point | ||
237 | fernando | ||
238 | pessoa | ||
239 | strictly | ||
240 | speaking | ||
241 | doesn't | ||
242 | exist | ||
243 | it's | ||
244 | not | ||
245 | just | ||
246 | pessoa | ||
247 | i | ||
248 | strictly | ||
249 | speaking | ||
250 | don't | ||
251 | exist | ||
252 | both | ||
253 | as | ||
254 | the | ||
255 | specific | ||
256 | me | ||
257 | that | ||
258 | writes | ||
259 | this | ||
260 | now | ||
261 | and | ||
262 | as | ||
263 | the | ||
264 | concept | ||
265 | of | ||
266 | selfhood | ||
267 | the | ||
268 | ego | ||
269 | heraclitus | ||
270 | famously | ||
271 | said | ||
272 | that | ||
273 | we | ||
274 | can't | ||
275 | step | ||
276 | into | ||
277 | the | ||
278 | same | ||
279 | river | ||
280 | twice | ||
281 | and | ||
282 | the | ||
283 | fact | ||
284 | of | ||
285 | the | ||
286 | matter | ||
287 | is | ||
288 | that | ||
289 | we | ||
290 | can't | ||
291 | occupy | ||
292 | the | ||
293 | same | ||
294 | self | ||
295 | twice | ||
296 | it's | ||
297 | constantly | ||
298 | changing | ||
299 | and | ||
300 | adapting | ||
301 | to | ||
302 | new | ||
303 | stimuli | ||
304 | from | ||
305 | the | ||
306 | environment | ||
307 | from | ||
308 | other | ||
309 | selves | ||
310 | from | ||
311 | inside | ||
312 | itself | ||
313 | and | ||
314 | each | ||
315 | time | ||
316 | it | ||
317 | forms | ||
318 | anew | ||
319 | into | ||
320 | something | ||
321 | that's | ||
322 | never | ||
323 | existed | ||
324 | before | ||
325 | the | ||
326 | person | ||
327 | i | ||
328 | am | ||
329 | beginning | ||
330 | a | ||
331 | poem | ||
332 | is | ||
333 | a | ||
334 | separate | ||
335 | being | ||
336 | than | ||
337 | the | ||
338 | one | ||
339 | i | ||
340 | am | ||
341 | finishing | ||
342 | a | ||
343 | poem | ||
344 | and | ||
345 | part | ||
346 | of | ||
347 | it | ||
348 | is | ||
349 | the | ||
350 | poem | ||
351 | i've | ||
352 | written | ||
353 | has | ||
354 | brought | ||
355 | forth | ||
356 | some | ||
357 | other | ||
358 | dish | ||
359 | onto | ||
360 | the | ||
361 | great | ||
362 | table | ||
363 | that | ||
364 | is | ||
365 | myself | ||
366 | in | ||
367 | the | ||
368 | same | ||
369 | way | ||
370 | with | ||
371 | each | ||
372 | poem | ||
373 | you | ||
374 | read | ||
375 | of | ||
376 | this | ||
377 | you | ||
378 | too | ||
379 | could | ||
380 | become | ||
381 | a | ||
382 | different | ||
383 | person | ||
384 | depending | ||
385 | on | ||
386 | which | ||
387 | order | ||
388 | you | ||
389 | read | ||
390 | them | ||
391 | in | ||
392 | you | ||
393 | could | ||
394 | be | ||
395 | any | ||
396 | number | ||
397 | of | ||
398 | possible | ||
399 | people | ||
400 | if | ||
401 | you | ||
402 | follow | ||
403 | the | ||
404 | threads | ||
405 | i've | ||
406 | laid | ||
407 | out | ||
408 | for | ||
409 | you | ||
410 | there | ||
411 | are | ||
412 | so | ||
413 | many | ||
414 | possible | ||
415 | selves | ||
416 | if | ||
417 | you | ||
418 | disregard | ||
419 | those | ||
420 | and | ||
421 | go | ||
422 | a | ||
423 | different | ||
424 | way | ||
425 | there | ||
426 | are | ||
427 | quite | ||
428 | a | ||
429 | few | ||
430 | more | ||
431 | however | ||
432 | at | ||
433 | the | ||
434 | end | ||
435 | of | ||
436 | the | ||
437 | journey | ||
438 | there | ||
439 | is | ||
440 | only | ||
441 | one | ||
442 | self | ||
443 | that | ||
444 | you | ||
445 | will | ||
446 | occupy | ||
447 | the | ||
448 | others | ||
449 | disappearing | ||
450 | from | ||
451 | this | ||
452 | universe | ||
453 | and | ||
454 | going | ||
455 | maybe | ||
456 | somewhere | ||
457 | else | ||
458 | maybe | ||
459 | nowhere | ||
460 | at | ||
461 | all | ||
462 | there | ||
463 | is | ||
464 | a | ||
465 | scene | ||
466 | in | ||
467 | the | ||
468 | neverending | ||
469 | story | ||
470 | where | ||
471 | bastian | ||
472 | is | ||
473 | trying | ||
474 | to | ||
475 | find | ||
476 | his | ||
477 | way | ||
478 | out | ||
479 | of | ||
480 | the | ||
481 | desert | ||
482 | he | ||
483 | opens | ||
484 | a | ||
485 | door | ||
486 | and | ||
487 | finds | ||
488 | himself | ||
489 | in | ||
490 | the | ||
491 | temple | ||
492 | of | ||
493 | a | ||
494 | thousand | ||
495 | doors | ||
496 | which | ||
497 | is | ||
498 | never | ||
499 | seen | ||
500 | from | ||
501 | the | ||
502 | outside | ||
503 | but | ||
504 | only | ||
505 | once | ||
506 | someone | ||
507 | enters | ||
508 | it | ||
509 | it | ||
510 | is | ||
511 | a | ||
512 | series | ||
513 | of | ||
514 | rooms | ||
515 | with | ||
516 | six | ||
517 | sides | ||
518 | each | ||
519 | and | ||
520 | three | ||
521 | doors | ||
522 | one | ||
523 | from | ||
524 | the | ||
525 | room | ||
526 | before | ||
527 | and | ||
528 | two | ||
529 | choices | ||
530 | in | ||
531 | life | ||
532 | each | ||
533 | of | ||
534 | these | ||
535 | rooms | ||
536 | is | ||
537 | a | ||
538 | moment | ||
539 | but | ||
540 | where | ||
541 | bastian | ||
542 | can | ||
543 | choose | ||
544 | which | ||
545 | of | ||
546 | only | ||
547 | two | ||
548 | doors | ||
549 | to | ||
550 | enter | ||
551 | each | ||
552 | time | ||
553 | in | ||
554 | life | ||
555 | there | ||
556 | can | ||
557 | be | ||
558 | any | ||
559 | number | ||
560 | of | ||
561 | doors | ||
562 | and | ||
563 | we | ||
564 | don't | ||
565 | always | ||
566 | choose | ||
567 | which | ||
568 | to | ||
569 | go | ||
570 | through | ||
571 | in | ||
572 | fact | ||
573 | i | ||
574 | would | ||
575 | argue | ||
576 | that | ||
577 | most | ||
578 | of | ||
579 | the | ||
580 | time | ||
581 | we | ||
582 | aren't | ||
583 | allowed | ||
584 | the | ||
585 | luxury | ||
586 | what | ||
587 | happens | ||
588 | to | ||
589 | those | ||
590 | other | ||
591 | doors | ||
592 | those | ||
593 | other | ||
594 | possibilities | ||
595 | is | ||
596 | there | ||
597 | some | ||
598 | other | ||
599 | version | ||
600 | of | ||
601 | the | ||
602 | self | ||
603 | that | ||
604 | for | ||
605 | whatever | ||
606 | complexities | ||
607 | of | ||
608 | circumstance | ||
609 | and | ||
610 | will | ||
611 | chose | ||
612 | a | ||
613 | different | ||
614 | door | ||
615 | at | ||
616 | an | ||
617 | earlier | ||
618 | moment | ||
619 | the | ||
620 | answer | ||
621 | to | ||
622 | this | ||
623 | of | ||
624 | course | ||
625 | is | ||
626 | that | ||
627 | we | ||
628 | can | ||
629 | never | ||
630 | know | ||
631 | for | ||
632 | sure | ||
633 | though | ||
634 | this | ||
635 | doesn't | ||
636 | keep | ||
637 | us | ||
638 | from | ||
639 | trying | ||
640 | through | ||
641 | the | ||
642 | process | ||
643 | of | ||
644 | regret | ||
645 | we | ||
646 | go | ||
647 | back | ||
648 | and | ||
649 | try | ||
650 | that | ||
651 | other | ||
652 | door | ||
653 | in | ||
654 | our | ||
655 | mind | ||
656 | extrapolating | ||
657 | a | ||
658 | possible | ||
659 | present | ||
660 | from | ||
661 | our | ||
662 | own | ||
663 | past | ||
664 | this | ||
665 | is | ||
666 | ultimately | ||
667 | unsatisfying | ||
668 | not | ||
669 | only | ||
670 | because | ||
671 | whatever | ||
672 | world | ||
673 | is | ||
674 | imagined | ||
675 | is | ||
676 | not | ||
677 | the | ||
678 | one | ||
679 | currently | ||
680 | lived | ||
681 | but | ||
682 | because | ||
683 | it | ||
684 | becomes | ||
685 | obvious | ||
686 | that | ||
687 | the | ||
688 | alternate | ||
689 | model | ||
690 | of | ||
691 | reality | ||
692 | is | ||
693 | not | ||
694 | complete | ||
695 | we | ||
696 | can | ||
697 | only | ||
698 | extrapolate | ||
699 | from | ||
700 | the | ||
701 | original | ||
702 | room | ||
703 | absolutely | ||
704 | without | ||
705 | knowledge | ||
706 | of | ||
707 | any | ||
708 | subsequent | ||
709 | possible | ||
710 | choices | ||
711 | this | ||
712 | causes | ||
713 | a | ||
714 | deep | ||
715 | disappointment | ||
716 | a | ||
717 | frustration | ||
718 | with | ||
719 | the | ||
720 | inability | ||
721 | to | ||
722 | know | ||
723 | all | ||
724 | possible | ||
725 | timelines | ||
726 | coupled | ||
727 | with | ||
728 | the | ||
729 | insecurity | ||
730 | that | ||
731 | this | ||
732 | may | ||
733 | not | ||
734 | be | ||
735 | the | ||
736 | best | ||
737 | of | ||
738 | all | ||
739 | possible | ||
740 | worlds | ||
741 | that | ||
742 | we | ||
743 | feel | ||
744 | as | ||
745 | regret | ||
746 | in | ||
747 | this | ||
748 | way | ||
749 | every | ||
750 | moment | ||
751 | we | ||
752 | live | ||
753 | is | ||
754 | an | ||
755 | elegy | ||
756 | to | ||
757 | every | ||
758 | possible | ||
759 | future | ||
760 | that | ||
761 | might | ||
762 | have | ||
763 | stemmed | ||
764 | from | ||
765 | it | ||
766 | annie | ||
767 | dillard | ||
768 | states | ||
769 | this | ||
770 | in | ||
771 | a | ||
772 | biological | ||
773 | manner | ||
774 | when | ||
775 | she | ||
776 | says | ||
777 | in | ||
778 | pilgrim | ||
779 | at | ||
780 | tinker | ||
781 | creek | ||
782 | every | ||
783 | glistening | ||
784 | egg | ||
785 | is | ||
786 | a | ||
787 | memento | ||
788 | mori | ||
789 | nature | ||
790 | is | ||
791 | inefficient | ||
792 | it | ||
793 | spends | ||
794 | a | ||
795 | hundred | ||
796 | lifetimes | ||
797 | to | ||
798 | get | ||
799 | one | ||
800 | that | ||
801 | barely | ||
802 | works | ||
803 | the | ||
804 | fossil | ||
805 | record | ||
806 | is | ||
807 | littered | ||
808 | with | ||
809 | the | ||
810 | failed | ||
811 | experiments | ||
812 | of | ||
813 | evolution | ||
814 | many | ||
815 | of | ||
816 | which | ||
817 | failed | ||
818 | due | ||
819 | only | ||
820 | to | ||
821 | blind | ||
822 | chance | ||
823 | an | ||
824 | asteroid | ||
825 | a | ||
826 | shift | ||
827 | in | ||
828 | weather | ||
829 | patterns | ||
830 | an | ||
831 | inefficient | ||
832 | copulation | ||
833 | method | ||
834 | each | ||
835 | living | ||
836 | person | ||
837 | today | ||
838 | has | ||
839 | twenty | ||
840 | dead | ||
841 | standing | ||
842 | behind | ||
843 | him | ||
844 | and | ||
845 | that | ||
846 | only | ||
847 | counts | ||
848 | the | ||
849 | people | ||
850 | that | ||
851 | actually | ||
852 | lived | ||
853 | how | ||
854 | many | ||
855 | missed | ||
856 | opportunities | ||
857 | stand | ||
858 | behind | ||
859 | any | ||
860 | of | ||
861 | us | ||
862 | the | ||
863 | real | ||
864 | problem | ||
865 | with | ||
866 | all | ||
867 | of | ||
868 | this | ||
869 | is | ||
870 | that | ||
871 | time | ||
872 | is | ||
873 | only | ||
874 | additive | ||
875 | there's | ||
876 | no | ||
877 | way | ||
878 | to | ||
879 | dial | ||
880 | it | ||
881 | back | ||
882 | and | ||
883 | start | ||
884 | over | ||
885 | with | ||
886 | new | ||
887 | choices | ||
888 | or | ||
889 | new | ||
890 | environments | ||
891 | even | ||
892 | when | ||
893 | given | ||
894 | the | ||
895 | chance | ||
896 | to | ||
897 | do | ||
898 | something | ||
899 | again | ||
900 | we | ||
901 | do | ||
902 | it | ||
903 | again | ||
904 | with | ||
905 | the | ||
906 | reality | ||
907 | given | ||
908 | by | ||
909 | our | ||
910 | previous | ||
911 | action | ||
912 | thus | ||
913 | we | ||
914 | are | ||
915 | constantly | ||
916 | creating | ||
917 | and | ||
918 | being | ||
919 | created | ||
920 | by | ||
921 | the | ||
922 | world | ||
923 | the | ||
924 | self | ||
925 | is | ||
926 | never | ||
927 | the | ||
928 | same | ||
929 | from | ||
930 | one | ||
931 | moment | ||
932 | to | ||
933 | the | ||
934 | next | ||
935 | a | ||
936 | poem | ||
937 | is | ||
938 | like | ||
939 | a | ||
940 | snapshot | ||
941 | of | ||
942 | a | ||
943 | self | ||
944 | if | ||
945 | it's | ||
946 | any | ||
947 | good | ||
948 | it | ||
949 | captures | ||
950 | the | ||
951 | emotional | ||
952 | core | ||
953 | of | ||
954 | the | ||
955 | self | ||
956 | at | ||
957 | the | ||
958 | time | ||
959 | of | ||
960 | writing | ||
961 | for | ||
962 | communication | ||
963 | with | ||
964 | future | ||
965 | selves | ||
966 | either | ||
967 | within | ||
968 | the | ||
969 | same | ||
970 | person | ||
971 | or | ||
972 | outside | ||
973 | of | ||
974 | it | ||
975 | thus | ||
976 | revision | ||
977 | is | ||
978 | possible | ||
979 | and | ||
980 | the | ||
981 | new | ||
982 | poem | ||
983 | created | ||
984 | will | ||
985 | be | ||
986 | yet | ||
987 | another | ||
988 | snapshot | ||
989 | of | ||
990 | the | ||
991 | future | ||
992 | self | ||
993 | as | ||
994 | changed | ||
995 | by | ||
996 | the | ||
997 | original | ||
998 | poem | ||
999 | the | ||
1000 | page | ||
1001 | becomes | ||
1002 | a | ||
1003 | window | ||
1004 | into | ||
1005 | the | ||
1006 | past | ||
1007 | a | ||
1008 | particular | ||
1009 | past | ||
1010 | as | ||
1011 | experienced | ||
1012 | by | ||
1013 | one | ||
1014 | self | ||
1015 | the | ||
1016 | poem | ||
1017 | is | ||
1018 | a | ||
1019 | remembering | ||
1020 | of | ||
1021 | a | ||
1022 | self | ||
1023 | that | ||
1024 | no | ||
1025 | longer | ||
1026 | exists | ||
1027 | in | ||
1028 | other | ||
1029 | words | ||
1030 | an | ||
1031 | elegy | ||
1032 | a | ||
1033 | snapshot | ||
1034 | doesn't | ||
1035 | capture | ||
1036 | the | ||
1037 | entire | ||
1038 | subject | ||
1039 | however | ||
1040 | it | ||
1041 | leaves | ||
1042 | out | ||
1043 | the | ||
1044 | background | ||
1045 | as | ||
1046 | it's | ||
1047 | obscured | ||
1048 | by | ||
1049 | foreground | ||
1050 | objects | ||
1051 | it | ||
1052 | fails | ||
1053 | to | ||
1054 | include | ||
1055 | anything | ||
1056 | that | ||
1057 | isn't | ||
1058 | contained | ||
1059 | in | ||
1060 | its | ||
1061 | finite | ||
1062 | frame | ||
1063 | in | ||
1064 | order | ||
1065 | to | ||
1066 | build | ||
1067 | a | ||
1068 | working | ||
1069 | definition | ||
1070 | of | ||
1071 | identity | ||
1072 | we | ||
1073 | must | ||
1074 | include | ||
1075 | all | ||
1076 | possible | ||
1077 | selves | ||
1078 | over | ||
1079 | all | ||
1080 | possible | ||
1081 | timelines | ||
1082 | combined | ||
1083 | into | ||
1084 | one | ||
1085 | person | ||
1086 | identity | ||
1087 | is | ||
1088 | the | ||
1089 | combined | ||
1090 | effect | ||
1091 | of | ||
1092 | all | ||
1093 | possible | ||
1094 | selves | ||
1095 | over | ||
1096 | time | ||
1097 | a | ||
1098 | poem | ||
1099 | leaves | ||
1100 | much | ||
1101 | of | ||
1102 | this | ||
1103 | out | ||
1104 | it | ||
1105 | is | ||
1106 | the | ||
1107 | one | ||
1108 | person | ||
1109 | standing | ||
1110 | in | ||
1111 | front | ||
1112 | of | ||
1113 | twenty | ||
1114 | ghosts | ||
1115 | a | ||
1116 | poem | ||
1117 | is | ||
1118 | the | ||
1119 | place | ||
1120 | where | ||
1121 | the | ||
1122 | selves | ||
1123 | of | ||
1124 | the | ||
1125 | reader | ||
1126 | and | ||
1127 | the | ||
1128 | speaker | ||
1129 | meet | ||
1130 | in | ||
1131 | their | ||
1132 | respective | ||
1133 | times | ||
1134 | and | ||
1135 | places | ||
1136 | in | ||
1137 | this | ||
1138 | way | ||
1139 | a | ||
1140 | poem | ||
1141 | is | ||
1142 | outside | ||
1143 | of | ||
1144 | time | ||
1145 | or | ||
1146 | place | ||
1147 | because | ||
1148 | it | ||
1149 | changes | ||
1150 | its | ||
1151 | location | ||
1152 | each | ||
1153 | time | ||
1154 | it's | ||
1155 | read | ||
1156 | each | ||
1157 | time | ||
1158 | it's | ||
1159 | two | ||
1160 | different | ||
1161 | people | ||
1162 | meeting | ||
1163 | the | ||
1164 | problem | ||
1165 | with | ||
1166 | a | ||
1167 | poem | ||
1168 | is | ||
1169 | that | ||
1170 | it's | ||
1171 | such | ||
1172 | a | ||
1173 | small | ||
1174 | window | ||
1175 | if | ||
1176 | we | ||
1177 | met | ||
1178 | in | ||
1179 | real | ||
1180 | life | ||
1181 | the | ||
1182 | way | ||
1183 | we | ||
1184 | met | ||
1185 | in | ||
1186 | poems | ||
1187 | we | ||
1188 | would | ||
1189 | see | ||
1190 | nothing | ||
1191 | of | ||
1192 | anyone | ||
1193 | else | ||
1194 | but | ||
1195 | a | ||
1196 | square | ||
1197 | the | ||
1198 | size | ||
1199 | of | ||
1200 | a | ||
1201 | postage | ||
1202 | stamp | ||
1203 | it | ||
1204 | has | ||
1205 | been | ||
1206 | argued | ||
1207 | this | ||
1208 | is | ||
1209 | the | ||
1210 | way | ||
1211 | we | ||
1212 | see | ||
1213 | time | ||
1214 | and | ||
1215 | ourselves | ||
1216 | in | ||
1217 | it | ||
1218 | as | ||
1219 | well | ||
1220 | vonnegut | ||
1221 | uses | ||
1222 | the | ||
1223 | metaphor | ||
1224 | of | ||
1225 | a | ||
1226 | subject | ||
1227 | strapped | ||
1228 | to | ||
1229 | a | ||
1230 | railroad | ||
1231 | car | ||
1232 | moving | ||
1233 | at | ||
1234 | a | ||
1235 | set | ||
1236 | pace | ||
1237 | with | ||
1238 | a | ||
1239 | six-foot-long | ||
1240 | metal | ||
1241 | tube | ||
1242 | placed | ||
1243 | in | ||
1244 | front | ||
1245 | of | ||
1246 | the | ||
1247 | subject's | ||
1248 | eye | ||
1249 | the | ||
1250 | landscape | ||
1251 | in | ||
1252 | the | ||
1253 | distance | ||
1254 | is | ||
1255 | time | ||
1256 | and | ||
1257 | what | ||
1258 | we | ||
1259 | see | ||
1260 | is | ||
1261 | the | ||
1262 | only | ||
1263 | way | ||
1264 | in | ||
1265 | which | ||
1266 | we | ||
1267 | interact | ||
1268 | with | ||
1269 | it | ||
1270 | it's | ||
1271 | the | ||
1272 | same | ||
1273 | with | ||
1274 | a | ||
1275 | poem | ||
1276 | and | ||
1277 | the | ||
1278 | self | ||
1279 | we | ||
1280 | can | ||
1281 | only | ||
1282 | see | ||
1283 | and | ||
1284 | interact | ||
1285 | with | ||
1286 | a | ||
1287 | small | ||
1288 | kernel | ||
1289 | this | ||
1290 | is | ||
1291 | why | ||
1292 | it's | ||
1293 | possible | ||
1294 | to | ||
1295 | write | ||
1296 | more | ||
1297 | than | ||
1298 | one | ||
1299 | poem | ||
1300 | due | ||
1301 | to | ||
1302 | this | ||
1303 | kernel | ||
1304 | nature | ||
1305 | of | ||
1306 | poetry | ||
1307 | a | ||
1308 | good | ||
1309 | poem | ||
1310 | should | ||
1311 | focus | ||
1312 | itself | ||
1313 | to | ||
1314 | extract | ||
1315 | as | ||
1316 | much | ||
1317 | meaning | ||
1318 | as | ||
1319 | possible | ||
1320 | from | ||
1321 | that | ||
1322 | one | ||
1323 | kernel | ||
1324 | of | ||
1325 | identity | ||
1326 | to | ||
1327 | which | ||
1328 | it | ||
1329 | has | ||
1330 | access | ||
1331 | it | ||
1332 | should | ||
1333 | be | ||
1334 | an | ||
1335 | atom | ||
1336 | of | ||
1337 | selfhood | ||
1338 | irreducible | ||
1339 | and | ||
1340 | resistant | ||
1341 | to | ||
1342 | paraphrase | ||
1343 | because | ||
1344 | it | ||
1345 | tries | ||
1346 | to | ||
1347 | somehow | ||
1348 | echo | ||
1349 | the | ||
1350 | large | ||
1351 | unsayable | ||
1352 | part | ||
1353 | of | ||
1354 | identity | ||
1355 | outside | ||
1356 | the | ||
1357 | frame | ||
1358 | of | ||
1359 | the | ||
1360 | self | ||
1361 | it | ||
1362 | is | ||
1363 | the | ||
1364 | kernel | ||
1365 | that | ||
1366 | contains | ||
1367 | a | ||
1368 | universe | ||
1369 | or | ||
1370 | that | ||
1371 | speaks | ||
1372 | around | ||
1373 | one | ||
1374 | that's | ||
1375 | hidden | ||
1376 | if | ||
1377 | it's | ||
1378 | a | ||
1379 | successful | ||
1380 | poem | ||
1381 | then | ||
1382 | it | ||
1383 | makes | ||
1384 | the | ||
1385 | smallest | ||
1386 | circuit | ||
1387 | possible | ||
1388 | this | ||
1389 | is | ||
1390 | why | ||
1391 | the | ||
1392 | commentary | ||
1393 | on | ||
1394 | poems | ||
1395 | is | ||
1396 | so | ||
1397 | voluminous | ||
1398 | a | ||
1399 | poem | ||
1400 | is | ||
1401 | tightly | ||
1402 | packed | ||
1403 | meaning | ||
1404 | that | ||
1405 | commentators | ||
1406 | try | ||
1407 | to | ||
1408 | unpack | ||
1409 | to | ||
1410 | get | ||
1411 | at | ||
1412 | that | ||
1413 | universality | ||
1414 | inside | ||
1415 | it | ||
1416 | a | ||
1417 | fortress | ||
1418 | of | ||
1419 | dialectic | ||
1420 | is | ||
1421 | constructed | ||
1422 | that | ||
1423 | ultimately | ||
1424 | obstructs | ||
1425 | the | ||
1426 | meaning | ||
1427 | behind | ||
1428 | the | ||
1429 | poem | ||
1430 | it | ||
1431 | becomes | ||
1432 | the | ||
1433 | foreground | ||
1434 | in | ||
1435 | the | ||
1436 | photograph | ||
1437 | that | ||
1438 | disallows | ||
1439 | us | ||
1440 | to | ||
1441 | view | ||
1442 | the | ||
1443 | horizon | ||
1444 | beyond | ||
1445 | it | ||
1446 | with | ||
1447 | this | ||
1448 | in | ||
1449 | mind | ||
1450 | i | ||
1451 | collect | ||
1452 | these | ||
1453 | poems | ||
1454 | that | ||
1455 | were | ||
1456 | written | ||
1457 | over | ||
1458 | a | ||
1459 | period | ||
1460 | of | ||
1461 | four | ||
1462 | years | ||
1463 | into | ||
1464 | this | ||
1465 | book | ||
1466 | where | ||
1467 | i | ||
1468 | can | ||
1469 | i | ||
1470 | insert | ||
1471 | cross-references | ||
1472 | like | ||
1473 | the | ||
1474 | one | ||
1475 | above | ||
1476 | in | ||
1477 | the | ||
1478 | margin | ||
1479 | to | ||
1480 | other | ||
1481 | pieces | ||
1482 | in | ||
1483 | the | ||
1484 | text | ||
1485 | where | ||
1486 | i | ||
1487 | think | ||
1488 | the | ||
1489 | two | ||
1490 | resonate | ||
1491 | in | ||
1492 | some | ||
1493 | way | ||
1494 | you | ||
1495 | can | ||
1496 | read | ||
1497 | this | ||
1498 | book | ||
1499 | in | ||
1500 | any | ||
1501 | way | ||
1502 | you'd | ||
1503 | like | ||
1504 | you | ||
1505 | can | ||
1506 | go | ||
1507 | front-to-back | ||
1508 | or | ||
1509 | back-to-front | ||
1510 | or | ||
1511 | you | ||
1512 | can | ||
1513 | follow | ||
1514 | the | ||
1515 | arrows | ||
1516 | around | ||
1517 | or | ||
1518 | you | ||
1519 | can | ||
1520 | work | ||
1521 | out | ||
1522 | a | ||
1523 | complex | ||
1524 | mathematical | ||
1525 | formula | ||
1526 | with | ||
1527 | merseinne | ||
1528 | primes | ||
1529 | and | ||
1530 | logarithms | ||
1531 | and | ||
1532 | the | ||
1533 | 2000 | ||
1534 | census | ||
1535 | information | ||
1536 | or | ||
1537 | you | ||
1538 | can | ||
1539 | go | ||
1540 | completely | ||
1541 | randomly | ||
1542 | through | ||
1543 | like | ||
1544 | a | ||
1545 | magazine | ||
1546 | or | ||
1547 | at | ||
1548 | least | ||
1549 | the | ||
1550 | way | ||
1551 | i | ||
1552 | flip | ||
1553 | through | ||
1554 | magazines | ||
1555 | i | ||
1556 | think | ||
1557 | writing | ||
1558 | is | ||
1559 | a | ||
1560 | communication | ||
1561 | of | ||
1562 | the | ||
1563 | self | ||
1564 | and | ||
1565 | i | ||
1566 | think | ||
1567 | this | ||
1568 | is | ||
1569 | the | ||
1570 | best | ||
1571 | way | ||
1572 | to | ||
1573 | communicate | ||
1574 | mine | ||
1575 | in | ||
1576 | all | ||
1577 | its | ||
1578 | multiversity | ||