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