diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'river')
-rw-r--r-- | river/about_author.river | 227 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/collage-instrument.river | 832 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/dollywood.river | 0 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/i-want-to-say.river | 291 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/manifesto_poetics.river | 575 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/on-genre-dimension.river | 1166 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/peaches.river | 773 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/walking-in-the-rain.river | 104 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/what-we-are-made-of.river | 730 | ||||
-rw-r--r-- | river/words-irritable-reaching.river | 827 |
10 files changed, 5525 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/river/about_author.river b/river/about_author.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc790d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/about_author.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@ | |||
1 | about | ||
2 | case | ||
3 | duckworth | ||
4 | case | ||
5 | duckworth | ||
6 | is | ||
7 | the | ||
8 | cowardly | ||
9 | but | ||
10 | lovable | ||
11 | great | ||
12 | dane | ||
13 | who | ||
14 | solves | ||
15 | mysteries | ||
16 | on | ||
17 | tv | ||
18 | maybe | ||
19 | you've | ||
20 | seen | ||
21 | him | ||
22 | while | ||
23 | watching | ||
24 | commercials | ||
25 | for | ||
26 | pine-sol | ||
27 | or | ||
28 | orange-glo | ||
29 | cleaners | ||
30 | these | ||
31 | products | ||
32 | dress | ||
33 | as | ||
34 | monsters | ||
35 | to | ||
36 | lure | ||
37 | only | ||
38 | the | ||
39 | right | ||
40 | kind | ||
41 | of | ||
42 | venture | ||
43 | capitalist | ||
44 | but | ||
45 | duckworth | ||
46 | believes | ||
47 | in | ||
48 | the | ||
49 | right | ||
50 | of | ||
51 | all | ||
52 | venture | ||
53 | capitalists | ||
54 | to | ||
55 | invest | ||
56 | in | ||
57 | products | ||
58 | they | ||
59 | believe | ||
60 | in | ||
61 | his | ||
62 | mortal | ||
63 | enemy | ||
64 | is | ||
65 | the | ||
66 | evil | ||
67 | old | ||
68 | man | ||
69 | jenkins | ||
70 | who | ||
71 | believes | ||
72 | that | ||
73 | the | ||
74 | only | ||
75 | venture | ||
76 | capitalists | ||
77 | that | ||
78 | should | ||
79 | be | ||
80 | allowed | ||
81 | to | ||
82 | invests | ||
83 | are | ||
84 | from | ||
85 | the | ||
86 | meddling | ||
87 | kids | ||
88 | gang | ||
89 | of | ||
90 | edo | ||
91 | when | ||
92 | not | ||
93 | being | ||
94 | a | ||
95 | great | ||
96 | dane | ||
97 | duckworth | ||
98 | is | ||
99 | a | ||
100 | christmas | ||
101 | ham | ||
102 | spreading | ||
103 | good | ||
104 | cheer | ||
105 | and | ||
106 | pork | ||
107 | products | ||
108 | to | ||
109 | underprivileged | ||
110 | gangs | ||
111 | of | ||
112 | venture | ||
113 | capitalists | ||
114 | in | ||
115 | winter | ||
116 | he | ||
117 | keeps | ||
118 | them | ||
119 | warm | ||
120 | with | ||
121 | his | ||
122 | questionable | ||
123 | farming | ||
124 | practices | ||
125 | and | ||
126 | threat | ||
127 | of | ||
128 | trichinosis | ||
129 | as | ||
130 | well | ||
131 | as | ||
132 | with | ||
133 | his | ||
134 | own | ||
135 | brand | ||
136 | of | ||
137 | firestarter | ||
138 | called | ||
139 | duckworth | ||
140 | stax | ||
141 | he | ||
142 | usually | ||
143 | steals | ||
144 | his | ||
145 | stax | ||
146 | from | ||
147 | dog | ||
148 | food | ||
149 | factories | ||
150 | making | ||
151 | him | ||
152 | a | ||
153 | modern | ||
154 | robin | ||
155 | hood | ||
156 | in | ||
157 | addition | ||
158 | to | ||
159 | a | ||
160 | great | ||
161 | dane | ||
162 | and | ||
163 | christmas | ||
164 | ham | ||
165 | case | ||
166 | duckworth | ||
167 | truly | ||
168 | is | ||
169 | a | ||
170 | jack-of-all-trades | ||
171 | the | ||
172 | only | ||
173 | thing | ||
174 | missing | ||
175 | from | ||
176 | his | ||
177 | repertoire | ||
178 | is | ||
179 | the | ||
180 | ability | ||
181 | to | ||
182 | begin | ||
183 | a | ||
184 | word | ||
185 | with | ||
186 | anything | ||
187 | but | ||
188 | an | ||
189 | r | ||
190 | sound | ||
191 | although | ||
192 | given | ||
193 | the | ||
194 | fact | ||
195 | he | ||
196 | is | ||
197 | a | ||
198 | dog | ||
199 | it's | ||
200 | remarkable | ||
201 | he | ||
202 | can | ||
203 | speak | ||
204 | at | ||
205 | all | ||
206 | duckworth | ||
207 | was | ||
208 | voiced | ||
209 | by | ||
210 | don | ||
211 | messick | ||
212 | until | ||
213 | his | ||
214 | death | ||
215 | in | ||
216 | 1997 | ||
217 | when | ||
218 | frank | ||
219 | welker | ||
220 | took | ||
221 | over | ||
222 | to | ||
223 | the | ||
224 | dismay | ||
225 | of | ||
226 | fans | ||
227 | everywhere | ||
diff --git a/river/collage-instrument.river b/river/collage-instrument.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52f7212 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/collage-instrument.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,832 @@ | |||
1 | instrumented | ||
2 | a | ||
3 | collage | ||
4 | tr | ||
5 | has | ||
6 | been | ||
7 | a | ||
8 | part | ||
9 | of | ||
10 | the | ||
11 | unix | ||
12 | toolset | ||
13 | since | ||
14 | the | ||
15 | late | ||
16 | 70s | ||
17 | short | ||
18 | for | ||
19 | translate | ||
20 | or | ||
21 | transliterate | ||
22 | tr | ||
23 | takes | ||
24 | two | ||
25 | strings | ||
26 | as | ||
27 | arguments | ||
28 | and | ||
29 | replaces | ||
30 | incidences | ||
31 | of | ||
32 | the | ||
33 | first | ||
34 | with | ||
35 | the | ||
36 | second | ||
37 | while | ||
38 | reading | ||
39 | a | ||
40 | byte | ||
41 | stream | ||
42 | it | ||
43 | also | ||
44 | supports | ||
45 | ranges | ||
46 | of | ||
47 | characters | ||
48 | in | ||
49 | formats | ||
50 | such | ||
51 | as | ||
52 | a-z | ||
53 | as | ||
54 | well | ||
55 | as | ||
56 | the | ||
57 | posix-compliant | ||
58 | alpha | ||
59 | although | ||
60 | sed | ||
61 | has | ||
62 | more | ||
63 | options | ||
64 | and | ||
65 | features | ||
66 | for | ||
67 | a | ||
68 | quick | ||
69 | search-and-replace | ||
70 | tr | ||
71 | is | ||
72 | more | ||
73 | than | ||
74 | sufficient | ||
75 | the | ||
76 | wind | ||
77 | blows | ||
78 | hard | ||
79 | up | ||
80 | here | ||
81 | far | ||
82 | harder | ||
83 | than | ||
84 | anywhere | ||
85 | else | ||
86 | i've | ||
87 | been | ||
88 | i | ||
89 | wonder | ||
90 | at | ||
91 | times | ||
92 | if | ||
93 | it | ||
94 | might | ||
95 | pick | ||
96 | me | ||
97 | up | ||
98 | like | ||
99 | an | ||
100 | angel | ||
101 | and | ||
102 | carry | ||
103 | me | ||
104 | into | ||
105 | the | ||
106 | night | ||
107 | the | ||
108 | secret | ||
109 | to | ||
110 | truly | ||
111 | great | ||
112 | rolls | ||
113 | is | ||
114 | mayonnaise | ||
115 | although | ||
116 | i | ||
117 | have | ||
118 | received | ||
119 | looks | ||
120 | of | ||
121 | disgust | ||
122 | at | ||
123 | this | ||
124 | assertion | ||
125 | i | ||
126 | think | ||
127 | the | ||
128 | explanation | ||
129 | is | ||
130 | enough | ||
131 | to | ||
132 | expel | ||
133 | doubt | ||
134 | mayonnaise | ||
135 | includes | ||
136 | the | ||
137 | fat | ||
138 | cream | ||
139 | and | ||
140 | egg | ||
141 | content | ||
142 | rolls | ||
143 | need | ||
144 | to | ||
145 | be | ||
146 | any | ||
147 | good | ||
148 | plus | ||
149 | in | ||
150 | mayonnaise | ||
151 | they | ||
152 | come | ||
153 | premeasured | ||
154 | and | ||
155 | perfectly | ||
156 | blended | ||
157 | which | ||
158 | makes | ||
159 | for | ||
160 | incredibly | ||
161 | easy | ||
162 | and | ||
163 | delicious | ||
164 | rolls | ||
165 | after | ||
166 | i | ||
167 | explain | ||
168 | myself | ||
169 | the | ||
170 | looks | ||
171 | of | ||
172 | disgust | ||
173 | usually | ||
174 | remain | ||
175 | my | ||
176 | mother | ||
177 | used | ||
178 | to | ||
179 | make | ||
180 | me | ||
181 | mayonnaise | ||
182 | rolls | ||
183 | and | ||
184 | hers | ||
185 | will | ||
186 | always | ||
187 | be | ||
188 | the | ||
189 | best | ||
190 | i | ||
191 | had | ||
192 | a | ||
193 | teacher | ||
194 | in | ||
195 | college | ||
196 | who | ||
197 | explained | ||
198 | xenophobia | ||
199 | as | ||
200 | mother's | ||
201 | cooking | ||
202 | is | ||
203 | best | ||
204 | one | ||
205 | of | ||
206 | my | ||
207 | favorite | ||
208 | fictional | ||
209 | theories | ||
210 | is | ||
211 | the | ||
212 | shoe | ||
213 | event | ||
214 | horizon | ||
215 | an | ||
216 | economic | ||
217 | truth | ||
218 | which | ||
219 | states | ||
220 | that | ||
221 | as | ||
222 | a | ||
223 | society | ||
224 | progresses | ||
225 | shoe | ||
226 | stores | ||
227 | become | ||
228 | more | ||
229 | and | ||
230 | more | ||
231 | prevalent | ||
232 | the | ||
233 | demand | ||
234 | for | ||
235 | shoes | ||
236 | raises | ||
237 | slowly | ||
238 | almost | ||
239 | imperceptibly | ||
240 | causing | ||
241 | shoe | ||
242 | manufacturers | ||
243 | to | ||
244 | make | ||
245 | more | ||
246 | and | ||
247 | cheaper | ||
248 | shoes | ||
249 | this | ||
250 | begins | ||
251 | a | ||
252 | vicious | ||
253 | cycle | ||
254 | during | ||
255 | which | ||
256 | more | ||
257 | and | ||
258 | more | ||
259 | shoes | ||
260 | are | ||
261 | made | ||
262 | more | ||
263 | and | ||
264 | more | ||
265 | cheaply | ||
266 | causing | ||
267 | more | ||
268 | shoes | ||
269 | to | ||
270 | be | ||
271 | bought | ||
272 | and | ||
273 | thus | ||
274 | made | ||
275 | until | ||
276 | finally | ||
277 | the | ||
278 | society | ||
279 | reaches | ||
280 | the | ||
281 | shoe | ||
282 | event | ||
283 | horizon | ||
284 | this | ||
285 | is | ||
286 | the | ||
287 | point | ||
288 | at | ||
289 | which | ||
290 | it | ||
291 | becomes | ||
292 | economically | ||
293 | impossible | ||
294 | for | ||
295 | any | ||
296 | stores | ||
297 | but | ||
298 | shoe | ||
299 | stores | ||
300 | to | ||
301 | exist | ||
302 | after | ||
303 | the | ||
304 | economy | ||
305 | collapses | ||
306 | the | ||
307 | society's | ||
308 | people | ||
309 | invariably | ||
310 | turn | ||
311 | into | ||
312 | birds | ||
313 | never | ||
314 | to | ||
315 | touch | ||
316 | ground | ||
317 | again | ||
318 | awk | ||
319 | is | ||
320 | often | ||
321 | used | ||
322 | as | ||
323 | a | ||
324 | command-line | ||
325 | stream-editing | ||
326 | tool | ||
327 | but | ||
328 | it | ||
329 | is | ||
330 | actually | ||
331 | an | ||
332 | entire | ||
333 | interpreted | ||
334 | language | ||
335 | it | ||
336 | supports | ||
337 | multiple | ||
338 | variables | ||
339 | and | ||
340 | logical | ||
341 | structuring | ||
342 | and | ||
343 | has | ||
344 | been | ||
345 | the | ||
346 | inspiration | ||
347 | for | ||
348 | perl | ||
349 | which | ||
350 | has | ||
351 | largely | ||
352 | replaced | ||
353 | it | ||
354 | it | ||
355 | was | ||
356 | originally | ||
357 | written | ||
358 | in | ||
359 | 1977 | ||
360 | but | ||
361 | over | ||
362 | the | ||
363 | years | ||
364 | has | ||
365 | evolved | ||
366 | with | ||
367 | multiple | ||
368 | implementations | ||
369 | made | ||
370 | for | ||
371 | different | ||
372 | uses | ||
373 | the | ||
374 | best | ||
375 | shoes | ||
376 | i | ||
377 | ever | ||
378 | owned | ||
379 | were | ||
380 | franco | ||
381 | fortinis | ||
382 | a | ||
383 | brand | ||
384 | i | ||
385 | have | ||
386 | yet | ||
387 | to | ||
388 | find | ||
389 | anywhere | ||
390 | else | ||
391 | sometimes | ||
392 | i | ||
393 | wonder | ||
394 | if | ||
395 | i | ||
396 | dreamed | ||
397 | the | ||
398 | shoes | ||
399 | like | ||
400 | in | ||
401 | stories | ||
402 | where | ||
403 | the | ||
404 | protagonist | ||
405 | buys | ||
406 | a | ||
407 | powerful | ||
408 | object | ||
409 | from | ||
410 | a | ||
411 | mysterious | ||
412 | store | ||
413 | and | ||
414 | try | ||
415 | to | ||
416 | return | ||
417 | it | ||
418 | after | ||
419 | it | ||
420 | backfires | ||
421 | in | ||
422 | some | ||
423 | tragic | ||
424 | way | ||
425 | only | ||
426 | to | ||
427 | find | ||
428 | the | ||
429 | spot | ||
430 | where | ||
431 | the | ||
432 | store | ||
433 | stood | ||
434 | is | ||
435 | an | ||
436 | empty | ||
437 | lot | ||
438 | or | ||
439 | worse | ||
440 | a | ||
441 | blank | ||
442 | brick | ||
443 | wall | ||
444 | after | ||
445 | having | ||
446 | moved | ||
447 | to | ||
448 | arizona | ||
449 | i | ||
450 | fear | ||
451 | i | ||
452 | will | ||
453 | forget | ||
454 | what | ||
455 | rain | ||
456 | is | ||
457 | like | ||
458 | i | ||
459 | don't | ||
460 | think | ||
461 | it's | ||
462 | sandbags | ||
463 | falling | ||
464 | on | ||
465 | the | ||
466 | body | ||
467 | and | ||
468 | i | ||
469 | believe | ||
470 | it | ||
471 | is | ||
472 | cold | ||
473 | i | ||
474 | think | ||
475 | daredevil | ||
476 | that | ||
477 | piss | ||
478 | of | ||
479 | a | ||
480 | film | ||
481 | has | ||
482 | endeared | ||
483 | itself | ||
484 | to | ||
485 | me | ||
486 | forever | ||
487 | with | ||
488 | its | ||
489 | depiction | ||
490 | of | ||
491 | rain | ||
492 | recent | ||
493 | studies | ||
494 | have | ||
495 | proven | ||
496 | eyewitness | ||
497 | testimony | ||
498 | to | ||
499 | be | ||
500 | utterly | ||
501 | unreliable | ||
502 | it | ||
503 | turns | ||
504 | out | ||
505 | that | ||
506 | memory | ||
507 | is | ||
508 | not | ||
509 | a | ||
510 | record | ||
511 | set | ||
512 | down | ||
513 | on | ||
514 | the | ||
515 | tablet | ||
516 | of | ||
517 | the | ||
518 | brain | ||
519 | but | ||
520 | rather | ||
521 | a | ||
522 | series | ||
523 | of | ||
524 | impressions | ||
525 | emotions | ||
526 | and | ||
527 | physical | ||
528 | states | ||
529 | that | ||
530 | changes | ||
531 | even | ||
532 | with | ||
533 | access | ||
534 | one | ||
535 | of | ||
536 | my | ||
537 | students | ||
538 | is | ||
539 | having | ||
540 | a | ||
541 | hard | ||
542 | time | ||
543 | finding | ||
544 | arguments | ||
545 | in | ||
546 | favor | ||
547 | of | ||
548 | the | ||
549 | use | ||
550 | of | ||
551 | eyewitness | ||
552 | testimony | ||
553 | for | ||
554 | a | ||
555 | paper | ||
556 | this | ||
557 | is | ||
558 | how | ||
559 | obvious | ||
560 | the | ||
561 | workings | ||
562 | of | ||
563 | memory | ||
564 | are | ||
565 | and | ||
566 | yet | ||
567 | without | ||
568 | our | ||
569 | memory | ||
570 | we | ||
571 | are | ||
572 | nothing | ||
573 | memory | ||
574 | is | ||
575 | the | ||
576 | tether | ||
577 | to | ||
578 | the | ||
579 | floor | ||
580 | of | ||
581 | the | ||
582 | ocean | ||
583 | of | ||
584 | our | ||
585 | past | ||
586 | the | ||
587 | ocean | ||
588 | is | ||
589 | our | ||
590 | collective | ||
591 | subconscious | ||
592 | which | ||
593 | we | ||
594 | float | ||
595 | on | ||
596 | on | ||
597 | the | ||
598 | inner | ||
599 | tube | ||
600 | of | ||
601 | individual | ||
602 | perception | ||
603 | slathering | ||
604 | on | ||
605 | the | ||
606 | suntan | ||
607 | lotion | ||
608 | of | ||
609 | our | ||
610 | prejudices | ||
611 | wearing | ||
612 | the | ||
613 | sunglasses | ||
614 | of | ||
615 | self-deception | ||
616 | all | ||
617 | underneath | ||
618 | the | ||
619 | sun | ||
620 | of | ||
621 | technology | ||
622 | the | ||
623 | seagulls | ||
624 | of | ||
625 | death | ||
626 | circle | ||
627 | slowly | ||
628 | calling | ||
629 | to | ||
630 | each | ||
631 | other | ||
632 | the | ||
633 | call | ||
634 | of | ||
635 | their | ||
636 | society | ||
637 | secret | ||
638 | in | ||
639 | its | ||
640 | machinations | ||
641 | my | ||
642 | father | ||
643 | told | ||
644 | me | ||
645 | that | ||
646 | once | ||
647 | when | ||
648 | swimming | ||
649 | a | ||
650 | rip | ||
651 | tide | ||
652 | pulled | ||
653 | him | ||
654 | far | ||
655 | out | ||
656 | to | ||
657 | sea | ||
658 | he | ||
659 | said | ||
660 | it | ||
661 | was | ||
662 | impossible | ||
663 | to | ||
664 | tell | ||
665 | until | ||
666 | it | ||
667 | was | ||
668 | too | ||
669 | late | ||
670 | the | ||
671 | shore | ||
672 | simply | ||
673 | receded | ||
674 | too | ||
675 | slowly | ||
676 | he | ||
677 | never | ||
678 | told | ||
679 | me | ||
680 | how | ||
681 | he | ||
682 | made | ||
683 | it | ||
684 | back | ||
685 | but | ||
686 | i | ||
687 | imagine | ||
688 | him | ||
689 | bearded | ||
690 | beached | ||
691 | coughing | ||
692 | up | ||
693 | saltwater | ||
694 | a | ||
695 | new | ||
696 | shipwrecked | ||
697 | victim | ||
698 | grep | ||
699 | is | ||
700 | a | ||
701 | basic | ||
702 | search | ||
703 | tool | ||
704 | for | ||
705 | unix-based | ||
706 | systems | ||
707 | it | ||
708 | has | ||
709 | a | ||
710 | robust | ||
711 | syntax | ||
712 | though | ||
713 | i've | ||
714 | had | ||
715 | trouble | ||
716 | remembering | ||
717 | the | ||
718 | regex | ||
719 | nuances | ||
720 | between | ||
721 | it | ||
722 | sed's | ||
723 | and | ||
724 | perl's | ||
725 | there | ||
726 | is | ||
727 | a | ||
728 | posix | ||
729 | standard | ||
730 | but | ||
731 | no | ||
732 | one | ||
733 | follows | ||
734 | standards | ||
735 | my | ||
736 | mother | ||
737 | loves | ||
738 | annie | ||
739 | dillard | ||
740 | she | ||
741 | always | ||
742 | talks | ||
743 | about | ||
744 | the | ||
745 | praying | ||
746 | mantis | ||
747 | egg | ||
748 | case | ||
749 | scene | ||
750 | dillard | ||
751 | could | ||
752 | never | ||
753 | find | ||
754 | a | ||
755 | praying | ||
756 | mantis | ||
757 | egg | ||
758 | case | ||
759 | until | ||
760 | she | ||
761 | finally | ||
762 | saw | ||
763 | one | ||
764 | by | ||
765 | accident | ||
766 | after | ||
767 | that | ||
768 | she | ||
769 | saw | ||
770 | them | ||
771 | everywhere | ||
772 | my | ||
773 | mother | ||
774 | showed | ||
775 | me | ||
776 | an | ||
777 | egg | ||
778 | case | ||
779 | once | ||
780 | i | ||
781 | haven't | ||
782 | seen | ||
783 | one | ||
784 | since | ||
785 | my | ||
786 | friend | ||
787 | steven | ||
788 | has | ||
789 | over | ||
790 | three | ||
791 | hundred | ||
792 | pairs | ||
793 | of | ||
794 | shoes | ||
795 | he | ||
796 | tells | ||
797 | me | ||
798 | his | ||
799 | goal | ||
800 | is | ||
801 | eventually | ||
802 | to | ||
803 | obtain | ||
804 | a | ||
805 | calendar | ||
806 | of | ||
807 | shoes | ||
808 | and | ||
809 | wear | ||
810 | a | ||
811 | different | ||
812 | one | ||
813 | each | ||
814 | day | ||
815 | of | ||
816 | the | ||
817 | year | ||
818 | he | ||
819 | doesn't | ||
820 | include | ||
821 | the | ||
822 | forty | ||
823 | days | ||
824 | of | ||
825 | lent | ||
826 | however | ||
827 | he | ||
828 | goes | ||
829 | barefoot | ||
830 | those | ||
831 | forty | ||
832 | days | ||
diff --git a/river/dollywood.river b/river/dollywood.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e69de29 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/dollywood.river | |||
diff --git a/river/i-want-to-say.river b/river/i-want-to-say.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b2a8bc5 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/i-want-to-say.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,291 @@ | |||
1 | i | ||
2 | want | ||
3 | to | ||
4 | say | ||
5 | i | ||
6 | want | ||
7 | to | ||
8 | say | ||
9 | i | ||
10 | take | ||
11 | it | ||
12 | all | ||
13 | back | ||
14 | i | ||
15 | want | ||
16 | i | ||
17 | want | ||
18 | to | ||
19 | take | ||
20 | it | ||
21 | back | ||
22 | i | ||
23 | want | ||
24 | it | ||
25 | none | ||
26 | of | ||
27 | it | ||
28 | to | ||
29 | be | ||
30 | ever | ||
31 | have | ||
32 | happened | ||
33 | not | ||
34 | when | ||
35 | i | ||
36 | saw | ||
37 | you | ||
38 | step | ||
39 | over | ||
40 | the | ||
41 | rope | ||
42 | when | ||
43 | we | ||
44 | went | ||
45 | to | ||
46 | new | ||
47 | york | ||
48 | for | ||
49 | a | ||
50 | week | ||
51 | but | ||
52 | stayed | ||
53 | upstate | ||
54 | when | ||
55 | you | ||
56 | punched | ||
57 | me | ||
58 | hard | ||
59 | in | ||
60 | the | ||
61 | solar | ||
62 | plexus | ||
63 | in | ||
64 | prague | ||
65 | when | ||
66 | i | ||
67 | looked | ||
68 | in | ||
69 | your | ||
70 | face | ||
71 | and | ||
72 | saw | ||
73 | myself | ||
74 | looking | ||
75 | back | ||
76 | smiling | ||
77 | when | ||
78 | we | ||
79 | went | ||
80 | on | ||
81 | another | ||
82 | trip | ||
83 | and | ||
84 | another | ||
85 | all | ||
86 | the | ||
87 | trips | ||
88 | i | ||
89 | want | ||
90 | to | ||
91 | have | ||
92 | stayed | ||
93 | home | ||
94 | i | ||
95 | want | ||
96 | to | ||
97 | have | ||
98 | seen | ||
99 | the | ||
100 | clouds | ||
101 | drifting | ||
102 | past | ||
103 | my | ||
104 | car | ||
105 | window | ||
106 | to | ||
107 | have | ||
108 | listened | ||
109 | to | ||
110 | that | ||
111 | sound | ||
112 | the | ||
113 | bridge | ||
114 | makes | ||
115 | driving | ||
116 | over | ||
117 | it | ||
118 | without | ||
119 | thinking | ||
120 | of | ||
121 | you | ||
122 | always | ||
123 | it | ||
124 | was | ||
125 | you | ||
126 | i | ||
127 | want | ||
128 | i | ||
129 | want | ||
130 | to | ||
131 | be | ||
132 | fresh | ||
133 | i | ||
134 | want | ||
135 | to | ||
136 | roll | ||
137 | out | ||
138 | of | ||
139 | bed | ||
140 | as | ||
141 | though | ||
142 | it | ||
143 | were | ||
144 | my | ||
145 | first | ||
146 | morning | ||
147 | in | ||
148 | a | ||
149 | new | ||
150 | state | ||
151 | i | ||
152 | want | ||
153 | nothing | ||
154 | more | ||
155 | than | ||
156 | absolution | ||
157 | of | ||
158 | sins | ||
159 | a | ||
160 | negation | ||
161 | but | ||
162 | there | ||
163 | is | ||
164 | no | ||
165 | way | ||
166 | to | ||
167 | subtract | ||
168 | here | ||
169 | i | ||
170 | cannot | ||
171 | remove | ||
172 | this | ||
173 | growth | ||
174 | that | ||
175 | appeared | ||
176 | seemingly | ||
177 | overnight | ||
178 | i | ||
179 | cannot | ||
180 | cut | ||
181 | you | ||
182 | away | ||
183 | from | ||
184 | myself | ||
185 | i | ||
186 | cannot | ||
187 | forget | ||
188 | what | ||
189 | has | ||
190 | already | ||
191 | and | ||
192 | will | ||
193 | always | ||
194 | have | ||
195 | been | ||
196 | i | ||
197 | cannot | ||
198 | get | ||
199 | out | ||
200 | of | ||
201 | a | ||
202 | new | ||
203 | bed | ||
204 | ever | ||
205 | new | ||
206 | york | ||
207 | will | ||
208 | always | ||
209 | be | ||
210 | as | ||
211 | it | ||
212 | was | ||
213 | when | ||
214 | i | ||
215 | saw | ||
216 | it | ||
217 | first | ||
218 | with | ||
219 | you | ||
220 | my | ||
221 | breathing | ||
222 | will | ||
223 | always | ||
224 | be | ||
225 | labored | ||
226 | outside | ||
227 | of | ||
228 | the | ||
229 | cafe | ||
230 | i | ||
231 | will | ||
232 | always | ||
233 | see | ||
234 | you | ||
235 | when | ||
236 | i | ||
237 | look | ||
238 | in | ||
239 | a | ||
240 | mirror | ||
241 | of | ||
242 | someone's | ||
243 | face | ||
244 | the | ||
245 | reflection | ||
246 | of | ||
247 | missed | ||
248 | thoughts | ||
249 | missed | ||
250 | words | ||
251 | will | ||
252 | cease | ||
253 | to | ||
254 | give | ||
255 | meaning | ||
256 | the | ||
257 | center | ||
258 | will | ||
259 | come | ||
260 | out | ||
261 | of | ||
262 | me | ||
263 | i | ||
264 | will | ||
265 | make | ||
266 | a | ||
267 | new | ||
268 | center | ||
269 | yes | ||
270 | i | ||
271 | will | ||
272 | drag | ||
273 | what | ||
274 | is | ||
275 | your | ||
276 | center | ||
277 | around | ||
278 | with | ||
279 | me | ||
280 | and | ||
281 | repeat | ||
282 | and | ||
283 | repeat | ||
284 | again | ||
285 | i | ||
286 | cannot | ||
287 | want | ||
288 | cannot | ||
289 | want | ||
290 | want | ||
291 | not | ||
diff --git a/river/manifesto_poetics.river b/river/manifesto_poetics.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ad81294 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/manifesto_poetics.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,575 @@ | |||
1 | manifesto | ||
2 | of | ||
3 | poetics | ||
4 | what | ||
5 | is | ||
6 | a | ||
7 | poem | ||
8 | i | ||
9 | think | ||
10 | it | ||
11 | was | ||
12 | yeats | ||
13 | that | ||
14 | called | ||
15 | a | ||
16 | poem | ||
17 | the | ||
18 | best | ||
19 | words | ||
20 | in | ||
21 | the | ||
22 | best | ||
23 | order | ||
24 | and | ||
25 | that | ||
26 | isn't | ||
27 | an | ||
28 | inaccurate | ||
29 | description | ||
30 | but | ||
31 | i | ||
32 | don't | ||
33 | think | ||
34 | it | ||
35 | captures | ||
36 | all | ||
37 | of | ||
38 | what | ||
39 | a | ||
40 | poem | ||
41 | is | ||
42 | let | ||
43 | me | ||
44 | start | ||
45 | with | ||
46 | communication | ||
47 | communication | ||
48 | is | ||
49 | a | ||
50 | transaction | ||
51 | an | ||
52 | exchange | ||
53 | between | ||
54 | two | ||
55 | people | ||
56 | or | ||
57 | entities | ||
58 | in | ||
59 | which | ||
60 | one | ||
61 | the | ||
62 | speaker/writer/communicator | ||
63 | gives | ||
64 | the | ||
65 | other | ||
66 | the | ||
67 | reader/listener/consumer | ||
68 | a | ||
69 | set | ||
70 | of | ||
71 | ideas | ||
72 | / | ||
73 | a | ||
74 | wireframe | ||
75 | organization | ||
76 | of | ||
77 | a | ||
78 | concept | ||
79 | / | ||
80 | a | ||
81 | set | ||
82 | of | ||
83 | reasons/instructions | ||
84 | for | ||
85 | action | ||
86 | in | ||
87 | many | ||
88 | kinds | ||
89 | of | ||
90 | communication | ||
91 | for | ||
92 | example | ||
93 | speeches | ||
94 | reports | ||
95 | or | ||
96 | advertisements | ||
97 | the | ||
98 | kind | ||
99 | of | ||
100 | ideas | ||
101 | transacted | ||
102 | are | ||
103 | generally | ||
104 | factual/logical/brain-based | ||
105 | in | ||
106 | nature | ||
107 | in | ||
108 | art | ||
109 | these | ||
110 | ideas | ||
111 | are | ||
112 | emotional/heart-based | ||
113 | in | ||
114 | short | ||
115 | art | ||
116 | is | ||
117 | to | ||
118 | emotion | ||
119 | as | ||
120 | an | ||
121 | article | ||
122 | is | ||
123 | to | ||
124 | information | ||
125 | i | ||
126 | think | ||
127 | art | ||
128 | should | ||
129 | strive | ||
130 | to | ||
131 | transmit | ||
132 | the | ||
133 | emotion | ||
134 | the | ||
135 | author | ||
136 | feels | ||
137 | as | ||
138 | efficiently | ||
139 | as | ||
140 | possible | ||
141 | to | ||
142 | the | ||
143 | reader | ||
144 | of | ||
145 | that | ||
146 | art | ||
147 | in | ||
148 | order | ||
149 | to | ||
150 | do | ||
151 | this | ||
152 | multiple | ||
153 | notation | ||
154 | systems | ||
155 | have | ||
156 | been | ||
157 | devised | ||
158 | music | ||
159 | is | ||
160 | the | ||
161 | most | ||
162 | notable | ||
163 | example | ||
164 | that | ||
165 | comes | ||
166 | to | ||
167 | mind | ||
168 | as | ||
169 | it | ||
170 | has | ||
171 | the | ||
172 | most | ||
173 | rigid | ||
174 | style | ||
175 | but | ||
176 | grammar | ||
177 | as | ||
178 | used | ||
179 | self-consciously | ||
180 | in | ||
181 | writing | ||
182 | would | ||
183 | be | ||
184 | another | ||
185 | example | ||
186 | poetry | ||
187 | has | ||
188 | only | ||
189 | a | ||
190 | very | ||
191 | loose | ||
192 | set | ||
193 | of | ||
194 | rules | ||
195 | and | ||
196 | assumptions | ||
197 | that | ||
198 | allow | ||
199 | it | ||
200 | a | ||
201 | sort | ||
202 | of | ||
203 | notational | ||
204 | language | ||
205 | and | ||
206 | this | ||
207 | is | ||
208 | complicated | ||
209 | by | ||
210 | the | ||
211 | fact | ||
212 | that | ||
213 | when | ||
214 | writing | ||
215 | poetry | ||
216 | the | ||
217 | author | ||
218 | writes | ||
219 | for | ||
220 | a | ||
221 | different | ||
222 | medium | ||
223 | poetry | ||
224 | is | ||
225 | meant | ||
226 | to | ||
227 | be | ||
228 | performed | ||
229 | aloud | ||
230 | this | ||
231 | makes | ||
232 | the | ||
233 | notation | ||
234 | system | ||
235 | even | ||
236 | more | ||
237 | important | ||
238 | but | ||
239 | again | ||
240 | it's | ||
241 | hard | ||
242 | to | ||
243 | come | ||
244 | up | ||
245 | with | ||
246 | a | ||
247 | system | ||
248 | that | ||
249 | will | ||
250 | be | ||
251 | read | ||
252 | mostly | ||
253 | the | ||
254 | same | ||
255 | by | ||
256 | most | ||
257 | people | ||
258 | what | ||
259 | i've | ||
260 | been | ||
261 | trying | ||
262 | to | ||
263 | do | ||
264 | since | ||
265 | i | ||
266 | began | ||
267 | writing | ||
268 | is | ||
269 | develop | ||
270 | a | ||
271 | personal | ||
272 | notation | ||
273 | system | ||
274 | or | ||
275 | what | ||
276 | i | ||
277 | think | ||
278 | most | ||
279 | would | ||
280 | refer | ||
281 | to | ||
282 | as | ||
283 | my | ||
284 | voice | ||
285 | as | ||
286 | a | ||
287 | poet/writer | ||
288 | i | ||
289 | personally | ||
290 | don't | ||
291 | like | ||
292 | the | ||
293 | word | ||
294 | poet | ||
295 | as | ||
296 | it | ||
297 | sounds | ||
298 | pretentious | ||
299 | to | ||
300 | me | ||
301 | i'm | ||
302 | aware | ||
303 | i | ||
304 | should | ||
305 | get | ||
306 | over | ||
307 | this | ||
308 | however | ||
309 | there | ||
310 | were | ||
311 | some | ||
312 | places | ||
313 | that | ||
314 | still | ||
315 | needed | ||
316 | improving | ||
317 | from | ||
318 | my | ||
319 | draft | ||
320 | manuscript | ||
321 | most | ||
322 | notably | ||
323 | my | ||
324 | prose | ||
325 | in | ||
326 | rip | ||
327 | tide | ||
328 | of | ||
329 | memory | ||
330 | now | ||
331 | only | ||
332 | rip | ||
333 | tide | ||
334 | and | ||
335 | amber | ||
336 | alert | ||
337 | i | ||
338 | rewrote | ||
339 | each | ||
340 | to | ||
341 | tighten | ||
342 | their | ||
343 | syntactic | ||
344 | and | ||
345 | idea | ||
346 | rhythm | ||
347 | to | ||
348 | make | ||
349 | them | ||
350 | move | ||
351 | more | ||
352 | lightly | ||
353 | and | ||
354 | gracefully | ||
355 | the | ||
356 | most | ||
357 | notable | ||
358 | difference | ||
359 | in | ||
360 | my | ||
361 | series | ||
362 | is | ||
363 | the | ||
364 | reordering | ||
365 | of | ||
366 | poems | ||
367 | within | ||
368 | it | ||
369 | i | ||
370 | think | ||
371 | that | ||
372 | in | ||
373 | my | ||
374 | first | ||
375 | draft | ||
376 | i | ||
377 | spent | ||
378 | so | ||
379 | much | ||
380 | time | ||
381 | on | ||
382 | getting | ||
383 | my | ||
384 | individual | ||
385 | poems | ||
386 | tight | ||
387 | and | ||
388 | polished | ||
389 | that | ||
390 | i | ||
391 | threw | ||
392 | them | ||
393 | together | ||
394 | somewhat | ||
395 | haphazardly | ||
396 | using | ||
397 | a | ||
398 | loose | ||
399 | thematic | ||
400 | correspondence | ||
401 | with | ||
402 | the | ||
403 | fake | ||
404 | table | ||
405 | of | ||
406 | contents | ||
407 | with | ||
408 | the | ||
409 | new | ||
410 | order | ||
411 | i | ||
412 | hope | ||
413 | this | ||
414 | has | ||
415 | been | ||
416 | fixed | ||
417 | the | ||
418 | piece | ||
419 | consists | ||
420 | of | ||
421 | six | ||
422 | sections | ||
423 | each | ||
424 | with | ||
425 | three | ||
426 | poems | ||
427 | a | ||
428 | new | ||
429 | one | ||
430 | everything | ||
431 | stays | ||
432 | the | ||
433 | same | ||
434 | makes | ||
435 | the | ||
436 | totals | ||
437 | correct | ||
438 | each | ||
439 | section | ||
440 | has | ||
441 | a | ||
442 | thematic/emotional/personal | ||
443 | element | ||
444 | that | ||
445 | ties | ||
446 | the | ||
447 | sections | ||
448 | together | ||
449 | they | ||
450 | are | ||
451 | ordered | ||
452 | by | ||
453 | the | ||
454 | order | ||
455 | in | ||
456 | which | ||
457 | i | ||
458 | wrote | ||
459 | the | ||
460 | sestinas | ||
461 | at | ||
462 | the | ||
463 | beginning | ||
464 | of | ||
465 | each | ||
466 | section | ||
467 | which | ||
468 | works | ||
469 | out | ||
470 | to | ||
471 | make | ||
472 | the | ||
473 | series | ||
474 | move | ||
475 | from | ||
476 | identity | ||
477 | to | ||
478 | memory | ||
479 | to | ||
480 | a | ||
481 | feeling | ||
482 | of | ||
483 | universal | ||
484 | justice | ||
485 | and | ||
486 | from | ||
487 | there | ||
488 | to | ||
489 | a | ||
490 | discussion | ||
491 | of | ||
492 | death | ||
493 | and | ||
494 | something | ||
495 | like | ||
496 | love | ||
497 | that | ||
498 | culminates | ||
499 | in | ||
500 | an | ||
501 | exploration | ||
502 | of | ||
503 | the | ||
504 | nature | ||
505 | of | ||
506 | time | ||
507 | and | ||
508 | cosmology | ||
509 | the | ||
510 | piece | ||
511 | is | ||
512 | bookended | ||
513 | by | ||
514 | the | ||
515 | fake | ||
516 | table | ||
517 | of | ||
518 | contents | ||
519 | provided | ||
520 | at | ||
521 | the | ||
522 | end | ||
523 | as | ||
524 | an | ||
525 | ironic | ||
526 | commentary | ||
527 | on | ||
528 | the | ||
529 | rest | ||
530 | of | ||
531 | the | ||
532 | text | ||
533 | and | ||
534 | an | ||
535 | about | ||
536 | the | ||
537 | author | ||
538 | section | ||
539 | i | ||
540 | think | ||
541 | it | ||
542 | works | ||
543 | better | ||
544 | this | ||
545 | way | ||
546 | and | ||
547 | i | ||
548 | think | ||
549 | the | ||
550 | about | ||
551 | the | ||
552 | author | ||
553 | at | ||
554 | the | ||
555 | beginning | ||
556 | serves | ||
557 | as | ||
558 | a | ||
559 | fair | ||
560 | prelude | ||
561 | poem | ||
562 | to | ||
563 | the | ||
564 | piece | ||
565 | i'm | ||
566 | excited | ||
567 | to | ||
568 | be | ||
569 | a | ||
570 | writer | ||
571 | like | ||
572 | i | ||
573 | haven't | ||
574 | been | ||
575 | before | ||
diff --git a/river/on-genre-dimension.river b/river/on-genre-dimension.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..52bdca0 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/on-genre-dimension.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,1166 @@ | |||
1 | on | ||
2 | genre | ||
3 | and | ||
4 | the | ||
5 | dimensionality | ||
6 | of | ||
7 | poetry | ||
8 | how | ||
9 | does | ||
10 | one | ||
11 | describe | ||
12 | a | ||
13 | poem | ||
14 | a | ||
15 | genre | ||
16 | is | ||
17 | a | ||
18 | set | ||
19 | of | ||
20 | creative | ||
21 | outputs | ||
22 | that | ||
23 | fit | ||
24 | a | ||
25 | given | ||
26 | set | ||
27 | of | ||
28 | criteria | ||
29 | genres | ||
30 | are | ||
31 | useful | ||
32 | as | ||
33 | a | ||
34 | sort | ||
35 | of | ||
36 | shorthand | ||
37 | when | ||
38 | describing | ||
39 | a | ||
40 | thing | ||
41 | of | ||
42 | art | ||
43 | instead | ||
44 | of | ||
45 | noting | ||
46 | for | ||
47 | example | ||
48 | all | ||
49 | of | ||
50 | the | ||
51 | objects | ||
52 | depicted | ||
53 | in | ||
54 | a | ||
55 | still-life | ||
56 | that | ||
57 | aren't | ||
58 | people | ||
59 | or | ||
60 | land-features | ||
61 | we | ||
62 | call | ||
63 | it | ||
64 | a | ||
65 | still-life | ||
66 | and | ||
67 | get | ||
68 | on | ||
69 | to | ||
70 | describing | ||
71 | how | ||
72 | the | ||
73 | objects | ||
74 | interrelate | ||
75 | to | ||
76 | each | ||
77 | other | ||
78 | on | ||
79 | the | ||
80 | canvas | ||
81 | if | ||
82 | you | ||
83 | ask | ||
84 | me | ||
85 | what | ||
86 | kind | ||
87 | of | ||
88 | painting | ||
89 | i'm | ||
90 | working | ||
91 | on | ||
92 | and | ||
93 | i | ||
94 | say | ||
95 | a | ||
96 | still-life | ||
97 | you | ||
98 | have | ||
99 | an | ||
100 | expectation | ||
101 | of | ||
102 | certain | ||
103 | elements | ||
104 | the | ||
105 | painting | ||
106 | will | ||
107 | contain | ||
108 | if | ||
109 | you | ||
110 | happen | ||
111 | to | ||
112 | be | ||
113 | an | ||
114 | agent | ||
115 | and | ||
116 | try | ||
117 | to | ||
118 | sell | ||
119 | the | ||
120 | painting | ||
121 | later | ||
122 | you'll | ||
123 | say | ||
124 | to | ||
125 | your | ||
126 | prospective | ||
127 | buyers | ||
128 | it's | ||
129 | a | ||
130 | still-life | ||
131 | and | ||
132 | whether | ||
133 | the | ||
134 | buyer | ||
135 | is | ||
136 | over | ||
137 | the | ||
138 | phone | ||
139 | or | ||
140 | standing | ||
141 | in | ||
142 | the | ||
143 | gallery | ||
144 | they'll | ||
145 | know | ||
146 | whether | ||
147 | they'll | ||
148 | like | ||
149 | it | ||
150 | or | ||
151 | not | ||
152 | based | ||
153 | on | ||
154 | whether | ||
155 | they | ||
156 | like | ||
157 | still-lifes | ||
158 | in | ||
159 | the | ||
160 | same | ||
161 | way | ||
162 | they | ||
163 | can | ||
164 | call | ||
165 | you | ||
166 | up | ||
167 | and | ||
168 | ask | ||
169 | if | ||
170 | you | ||
171 | have | ||
172 | any | ||
173 | still-lifes | ||
174 | for | ||
175 | sale | ||
176 | right | ||
177 | now | ||
178 | and | ||
179 | get | ||
180 | a | ||
181 | simple | ||
182 | yes-or-no | ||
183 | answer | ||
184 | for | ||
185 | it | ||
186 | this | ||
187 | is | ||
188 | the | ||
189 | first | ||
190 | kind | ||
191 | of | ||
192 | genre | ||
193 | and | ||
194 | it | ||
195 | applies | ||
196 | well | ||
197 | within | ||
198 | separate | ||
199 | types | ||
200 | of | ||
201 | fundamentally-different | ||
202 | media | ||
203 | such | ||
204 | as | ||
205 | painting | ||
206 | sculpture | ||
207 | film | ||
208 | or | ||
209 | the | ||
210 | written | ||
211 | word | ||
212 | a | ||
213 | poem | ||
214 | obviously | ||
215 | is | ||
216 | in | ||
217 | this | ||
218 | last | ||
219 | category | ||
220 | and | ||
221 | for | ||
222 | some | ||
223 | reason | ||
224 | its | ||
225 | designation | ||
226 | is | ||
227 | hairier | ||
228 | than | ||
229 | others | ||
230 | people | ||
231 | refer | ||
232 | to | ||
233 | all | ||
234 | sorts | ||
235 | of | ||
236 | art | ||
237 | or | ||
238 | even | ||
239 | dispassionate | ||
240 | events | ||
241 | as | ||
242 | poetry | ||
243 | dancing | ||
244 | is | ||
245 | called | ||
246 | poetry | ||
247 | in | ||
248 | motion | ||
249 | for | ||
250 | example | ||
251 | i | ||
252 | think | ||
253 | the | ||
254 | confusion | ||
255 | is | ||
256 | caused | ||
257 | in | ||
258 | part | ||
259 | by | ||
260 | the | ||
261 | nature | ||
262 | of | ||
263 | writing | ||
264 | as | ||
265 | a | ||
266 | medium | ||
267 | namely | ||
268 | in | ||
269 | that | ||
270 | it | ||
271 | captures | ||
272 | thoughts | ||
273 | more | ||
274 | clearly | ||
275 | and | ||
276 | communicably | ||
277 | than | ||
278 | other | ||
279 | art | ||
280 | forms | ||
281 | while | ||
282 | a | ||
283 | picture | ||
284 | can | ||
285 | be | ||
286 | worth | ||
287 | a | ||
288 | thousand | ||
289 | words | ||
290 | as | ||
291 | the | ||
292 | old | ||
293 | clich | ||
294 | goes | ||
295 | when | ||
296 | those | ||
297 | words | ||
298 | are | ||
299 | actually | ||
300 | written | ||
301 | out | ||
302 | they | ||
303 | can | ||
304 | contain | ||
305 | shades | ||
306 | of | ||
307 | meaning | ||
308 | impossible | ||
309 | to | ||
310 | capture | ||
311 | in | ||
312 | the | ||
313 | picture | ||
314 | itself | ||
315 | at | ||
316 | least | ||
317 | as | ||
318 | quickly | ||
319 | as | ||
320 | they | ||
321 | can | ||
322 | be | ||
323 | absorbed | ||
324 | in | ||
325 | writing | ||
326 | it | ||
327 | seems | ||
328 | as | ||
329 | though | ||
330 | writing | ||
331 | is | ||
332 | akin | ||
333 | to | ||
334 | the | ||
335 | fundamental | ||
336 | nature | ||
337 | of | ||
338 | thought | ||
339 | or | ||
340 | at | ||
341 | least | ||
342 | of | ||
343 | spoken | ||
344 | language | ||
345 | which | ||
346 | our | ||
347 | thought | ||
348 | is | ||
349 | steeped | ||
350 | in | ||
351 | so | ||
352 | we | ||
353 | know | ||
354 | what | ||
355 | writing | ||
356 | is | ||
357 | what | ||
358 | is | ||
359 | a | ||
360 | poem | ||
361 | especially | ||
362 | in | ||
363 | a | ||
364 | world | ||
365 | with | ||
366 | such | ||
367 | forms | ||
368 | as | ||
369 | prose | ||
370 | poetry | ||
371 | flash | ||
372 | fiction | ||
373 | short-shorts | ||
374 | lyrical | ||
375 | essays | ||
376 | lyrical | ||
377 | ballads | ||
378 | et | ||
379 | cetera | ||
380 | what | ||
381 | makes | ||
382 | a | ||
383 | poem | ||
384 | a | ||
385 | poem | ||
386 | i | ||
387 | read | ||
388 | an | ||
389 | essay | ||
390 | once | ||
391 | that | ||
392 | lamented | ||
393 | the | ||
394 | unidimensionality | ||
395 | of | ||
396 | writing | ||
397 | it | ||
398 | posited | ||
399 | that | ||
400 | prose | ||
401 | is | ||
402 | really | ||
403 | just | ||
404 | a | ||
405 | long | ||
406 | wrapped | ||
407 | line | ||
408 | of | ||
409 | text | ||
410 | that's | ||
411 | bound | ||
412 | by | ||
413 | time | ||
414 | when | ||
415 | you | ||
416 | read | ||
417 | a | ||
418 | novel | ||
419 | for | ||
420 | example | ||
421 | you | ||
422 | really | ||
423 | must | ||
424 | start | ||
425 | at | ||
426 | the | ||
427 | beginning | ||
428 | and | ||
429 | read | ||
430 | through | ||
431 | to | ||
432 | the | ||
433 | end | ||
434 | in | ||
435 | order | ||
436 | some | ||
437 | newer | ||
438 | forms | ||
439 | of | ||
440 | fiction | ||
441 | are | ||
442 | changing | ||
443 | this | ||
444 | such | ||
445 | as | ||
446 | the | ||
447 | choose-your-own-adventure | ||
448 | genre | ||
449 | in | ||
450 | the | ||
451 | 1970s | ||
452 | and | ||
453 | 80s | ||
454 | or | ||
455 | hyperfiction | ||
456 | found | ||
457 | online | ||
458 | which | ||
459 | raises | ||
460 | the | ||
461 | question | ||
462 | for | ||
463 | me | ||
464 | if | ||
465 | these | ||
466 | newer | ||
467 | forms | ||
468 | could | ||
469 | be | ||
470 | considered | ||
471 | on | ||
472 | some | ||
473 | level | ||
474 | to | ||
475 | be | ||
476 | poetry | ||
477 | this | ||
478 | is | ||
479 | because | ||
480 | poetry | ||
481 | has | ||
482 | more | ||
483 | than | ||
484 | one | ||
485 | dimension | ||
486 | due | ||
487 | to | ||
488 | its | ||
489 | linear | ||
490 | nature | ||
491 | those | ||
492 | line | ||
493 | breaks | ||
494 | are | ||
495 | intentional | ||
496 | and | ||
497 | the | ||
498 | poem | ||
499 | can't | ||
500 | just | ||
501 | fit | ||
502 | into | ||
503 | any-sized | ||
504 | book | ||
505 | or | ||
506 | web | ||
507 | page | ||
508 | if | ||
509 | prose | ||
510 | is | ||
511 | a | ||
512 | liquid | ||
513 | filling | ||
514 | any | ||
515 | container | ||
516 | it's | ||
517 | placed | ||
518 | in | ||
519 | with | ||
520 | a | ||
521 | constant | ||
522 | volume | ||
523 | poetry | ||
524 | is | ||
525 | more | ||
526 | like | ||
527 | a | ||
528 | crystallized | ||
529 | form | ||
530 | of | ||
531 | prose | ||
532 | or | ||
533 | to | ||
534 | put | ||
535 | it | ||
536 | another | ||
537 | way | ||
538 | poetry | ||
539 | has | ||
540 | between | ||
541 | one | ||
542 | and | ||
543 | two | ||
544 | dimensions | ||
545 | i | ||
546 | wouldn't | ||
547 | say | ||
548 | that | ||
549 | poetry | ||
550 | has | ||
551 | fully | ||
552 | two | ||
553 | dimensions | ||
554 | except | ||
555 | for | ||
556 | some | ||
557 | of | ||
558 | the | ||
559 | more | ||
560 | conceptually | ||
561 | visual | ||
562 | stuff | ||
563 | that | ||
564 | i'd | ||
565 | call | ||
566 | a | ||
567 | word-picture | ||
568 | anyway | ||
569 | because | ||
570 | from | ||
571 | line | ||
572 | to | ||
573 | line | ||
574 | that | ||
575 | unidimensionality | ||
576 | of | ||
577 | prose | ||
578 | remains | ||
579 | poetry | ||
580 | has | ||
581 | a | ||
582 | higher | ||
583 | dimensionality | ||
584 | than | ||
585 | prose | ||
586 | though | ||
587 | because | ||
588 | it's | ||
589 | crystallized | ||
590 | there | ||
591 | on | ||
592 | the | ||
593 | page | ||
594 | this | ||
595 | fractal-dimensionality | ||
596 | of | ||
597 | poetry | ||
598 | has | ||
599 | interesting | ||
600 | side | ||
601 | effects | ||
602 | on | ||
603 | the | ||
604 | genre | ||
605 | itself | ||
606 | for | ||
607 | one | ||
608 | thing | ||
609 | poetry | ||
610 | isn't | ||
611 | as | ||
612 | bound | ||
613 | by | ||
614 | time | ||
615 | as | ||
616 | prose | ||
617 | is | ||
618 | it | ||
619 | can | ||
620 | as | ||
621 | marianne | ||
622 | boruch | ||
623 | writes | ||
624 | resist | ||
625 | narrative | ||
626 | sequence | ||
627 | or | ||
628 | the | ||
629 | forward | ||
630 | press | ||
631 | of | ||
632 | time | ||
633 | itself | ||
634 | due | ||
635 | to | ||
636 | its | ||
637 | repetitions | ||
638 | and | ||
639 | diversions | ||
640 | which | ||
641 | are | ||
642 | in | ||
643 | turn | ||
644 | made | ||
645 | possible | ||
646 | or | ||
647 | more | ||
648 | apparent | ||
649 | by | ||
650 | its | ||
651 | line | ||
652 | breaks | ||
653 | it's | ||
654 | able | ||
655 | to | ||
656 | meditate | ||
657 | on | ||
658 | a | ||
659 | subject | ||
660 | or | ||
661 | expand | ||
662 | on | ||
663 | it | ||
664 | lyrically | ||
665 | exploring | ||
666 | the | ||
667 | emotions | ||
668 | connected | ||
669 | with | ||
670 | the | ||
671 | images | ||
672 | in | ||
673 | the | ||
674 | poem | ||
675 | or | ||
676 | the | ||
677 | connections | ||
678 | between | ||
679 | images | ||
680 | through | ||
681 | repitition | ||
682 | of | ||
683 | sounds | ||
684 | the | ||
685 | poem | ||
686 | builds | ||
687 | meaning | ||
688 | through | ||
689 | resonance | ||
690 | and | ||
691 | rhyming | ||
692 | something | ||
693 | that's | ||
694 | harder | ||
695 | to | ||
696 | do | ||
697 | in | ||
698 | prose | ||
699 | take | ||
700 | for | ||
701 | example | ||
702 | the | ||
703 | first | ||
704 | lines | ||
705 | of | ||
706 | the | ||
707 | love | ||
708 | song | ||
709 | of | ||
710 | j | ||
711 | alfred | ||
712 | prufrock | ||
713 | let | ||
714 | us | ||
715 | go | ||
716 | then | ||
717 | you | ||
718 | and | ||
719 | i | ||
720 | when | ||
721 | the | ||
722 | evening | ||
723 | is | ||
724 | spread | ||
725 | out | ||
726 | against | ||
727 | the | ||
728 | sky | ||
729 | like | ||
730 | a | ||
731 | patient | ||
732 | etherized | ||
733 | upon | ||
734 | a | ||
735 | table | ||
736 | let | ||
737 | us | ||
738 | go | ||
739 | through | ||
740 | certain | ||
741 | half-deserted | ||
742 | streets | ||
743 | the | ||
744 | muttering | ||
745 | retreats | ||
746 | of | ||
747 | restless | ||
748 | nights | ||
749 | in | ||
750 | one-night | ||
751 | cheap | ||
752 | hotels | ||
753 | and | ||
754 | sawdust | ||
755 | restaurants | ||
756 | with | ||
757 | oyster-shells | ||
758 | streets | ||
759 | that | ||
760 | follow | ||
761 | like | ||
762 | a | ||
763 | tedious | ||
764 | argument | ||
765 | of | ||
766 | insidious | ||
767 | intent | ||
768 | to | ||
769 | lead | ||
770 | you | ||
771 | to | ||
772 | an | ||
773 | overwhelming | ||
774 | question | ||
775 | oh | ||
776 | do | ||
777 | not | ||
778 | ask | ||
779 | what | ||
780 | is | ||
781 | it | ||
782 | let | ||
783 | us | ||
784 | go | ||
785 | and | ||
786 | make | ||
787 | our | ||
788 | visit | ||
789 | and | ||
790 | here | ||
791 | it | ||
792 | is | ||
793 | again | ||
794 | without | ||
795 | line | ||
796 | breaks | ||
797 | let | ||
798 | us | ||
799 | go | ||
800 | then | ||
801 | you | ||
802 | and | ||
803 | i | ||
804 | when | ||
805 | the | ||
806 | evening | ||
807 | is | ||
808 | spread | ||
809 | out | ||
810 | against | ||
811 | the | ||
812 | sky | ||
813 | like | ||
814 | a | ||
815 | patient | ||
816 | etherized | ||
817 | upon | ||
818 | a | ||
819 | table | ||
820 | let | ||
821 | us | ||
822 | go | ||
823 | through | ||
824 | certain | ||
825 | half-deserted | ||
826 | streets | ||
827 | the | ||
828 | muttering | ||
829 | retreats | ||
830 | of | ||
831 | restless | ||
832 | nights | ||
833 | in | ||
834 | one-night | ||
835 | cheap | ||
836 | hotels | ||
837 | and | ||
838 | sawdust | ||
839 | restaurants | ||
840 | with | ||
841 | oyster-shells | ||
842 | streets | ||
843 | that | ||
844 | follow | ||
845 | like | ||
846 | a | ||
847 | tedious | ||
848 | argument | ||
849 | of | ||
850 | insidious | ||
851 | intent | ||
852 | to | ||
853 | lead | ||
854 | you | ||
855 | to | ||
856 | an | ||
857 | overwhelming | ||
858 | question | ||
859 | oh | ||
860 | do | ||
861 | not | ||
862 | ask | ||
863 | what | ||
864 | is | ||
865 | it | ||
866 | let | ||
867 | us | ||
868 | go | ||
869 | and | ||
870 | make | ||
871 | our | ||
872 | visit | ||
873 | the | ||
874 | end-rhymes | ||
875 | that | ||
876 | do | ||
877 | so | ||
878 | much | ||
879 | for | ||
880 | the | ||
881 | sound | ||
882 | of | ||
883 | the | ||
884 | poem | ||
885 | are | ||
886 | gone | ||
887 | and | ||
888 | so | ||
889 | part | ||
890 | of | ||
891 | the | ||
892 | meaning | ||
893 | of | ||
894 | the | ||
895 | poem | ||
896 | its | ||
897 | obsessive | ||
898 | self-consciousness | ||
899 | its | ||
900 | paranoia | ||
901 | are | ||
902 | gone | ||
903 | as | ||
904 | well | ||
905 | additionally | ||
906 | line | ||
907 | breaks | ||
908 | act | ||
909 | as | ||
910 | punctuation | ||
911 | in | ||
912 | the | ||
913 | entirety | ||
914 | of | ||
915 | this | ||
916 | fragment | ||
917 | without | ||
918 | them | ||
919 | the | ||
920 | meaning | ||
921 | becomes | ||
922 | obscured | ||
923 | in | ||
924 | the | ||
925 | long | ||
926 | first | ||
927 | sentence | ||
928 | of | ||
929 | the | ||
930 | poem | ||
931 | perhaps | ||
932 | due | ||
933 | to | ||
934 | this | ||
935 | dwelling | ||
936 | on | ||
937 | scene | ||
938 | or | ||
939 | on | ||
940 | all | ||
941 | aspects | ||
942 | of | ||
943 | a | ||
944 | single | ||
945 | scene | ||
946 | at | ||
947 | one | ||
948 | time | ||
949 | poetry | ||
950 | tends | ||
951 | to | ||
952 | be | ||
953 | heavy | ||
954 | on | ||
955 | images | ||
956 | or | ||
957 | lyrical | ||
958 | i | ||
959 | think | ||
960 | this | ||
961 | is | ||
962 | what's | ||
963 | generally | ||
964 | meant | ||
965 | when | ||
966 | someone | ||
967 | describes | ||
968 | a | ||
969 | dance | ||
970 | as | ||
971 | poetic | ||
972 | or | ||
973 | a | ||
974 | story | ||
975 | or | ||
976 | anything | ||
977 | else | ||
978 | i | ||
979 | think | ||
980 | they | ||
981 | really | ||
982 | mean | ||
983 | lyrical | ||
984 | or | ||
985 | maybe | ||
986 | beautiful | ||
987 | the | ||
988 | images | ||
989 | form | ||
990 | sort | ||
991 | of | ||
992 | a | ||
993 | narrative | ||
994 | as | ||
995 | the | ||
996 | reader | ||
997 | moves | ||
998 | through | ||
999 | them | ||
1000 | as | ||
1001 | cesare | ||
1002 | pavese | ||
1003 | says | ||
1004 | that's | ||
1005 | nevertheless | ||
1006 | different | ||
1007 | than | ||
1008 | a | ||
1009 | traditional | ||
1010 | narrative | ||
1011 | this | ||
1012 | image | ||
1013 | narrative | ||
1014 | jumps | ||
1015 | from | ||
1016 | image | ||
1017 | to | ||
1018 | image | ||
1019 | not | ||
1020 | by | ||
1021 | a | ||
1022 | logical | ||
1023 | progression | ||
1024 | but | ||
1025 | by | ||
1026 | the | ||
1027 | resonances | ||
1028 | between | ||
1029 | the | ||
1030 | images | ||
1031 | that | ||
1032 | run | ||
1033 | underneath | ||
1034 | them | ||
1035 | on | ||
1036 | almost | ||
1037 | a | ||
1038 | subliminal | ||
1039 | plane | ||
1040 | almost | ||
1041 | without | ||
1042 | noticing | ||
1043 | the | ||
1044 | reader | ||
1045 | of | ||
1046 | a | ||
1047 | poem | ||
1048 | is | ||
1049 | taken | ||
1050 | on | ||
1051 | an | ||
1052 | emotional | ||
1053 | journey | ||
1054 | that's | ||
1055 | not | ||
1056 | necessarily | ||
1057 | connected | ||
1058 | to | ||
1059 | the | ||
1060 | images | ||
1061 | of | ||
1062 | the | ||
1063 | poem | ||
1064 | themselves | ||
1065 | poetry | ||
1066 | is | ||
1067 | a | ||
1068 | manipulation | ||
1069 | of | ||
1070 | emotion | ||
1071 | or | ||
1072 | a | ||
1073 | communication | ||
1074 | of | ||
1075 | it | ||
1076 | prose | ||
1077 | has | ||
1078 | the | ||
1079 | space | ||
1080 | the | ||
1081 | time | ||
1082 | to | ||
1083 | describe | ||
1084 | what's | ||
1085 | going | ||
1086 | on | ||
1087 | even | ||
1088 | if | ||
1089 | the | ||
1090 | author | ||
1091 | stands | ||
1092 | by | ||
1093 | the | ||
1094 | old | ||
1095 | adage | ||
1096 | of | ||
1097 | show | ||
1098 | don't | ||
1099 | tell | ||
1100 | showing | ||
1101 | in | ||
1102 | prose | ||
1103 | inherently | ||
1104 | involves | ||
1105 | more | ||
1106 | telling | ||
1107 | than | ||
1108 | poetry | ||
1109 | does | ||
1110 | as | ||
1111 | poetry | ||
1112 | communicates | ||
1113 | a | ||
1114 | feeling | ||
1115 | itself | ||
1116 | this | ||
1117 | definition | ||
1118 | may | ||
1119 | be | ||
1120 | broad | ||
1121 | enough | ||
1122 | to | ||
1123 | include | ||
1124 | certain | ||
1125 | dance | ||
1126 | performances | ||
1127 | or | ||
1128 | paintings | ||
1129 | but | ||
1130 | that's | ||
1131 | okay | ||
1132 | i'm | ||
1133 | of | ||
1134 | the | ||
1135 | opinion | ||
1136 | that | ||
1137 | the | ||
1138 | more | ||
1139 | useful | ||
1140 | genre | ||
1141 | distinctions | ||
1142 | are | ||
1143 | those | ||
1144 | which | ||
1145 | describe | ||
1146 | the | ||
1147 | thing | ||
1148 | technically | ||
1149 | verse | ||
1150 | for | ||
1151 | example | ||
1152 | or | ||
1153 | lyrical | ||
1154 | poetry | ||
1155 | is | ||
1156 | almost | ||
1157 | a | ||
1158 | value | ||
1159 | judgement | ||
1160 | and | ||
1161 | that | ||
1162 | makes | ||
1163 | me | ||
1164 | a | ||
1165 | little | ||
1166 | uncomfortable | ||
diff --git a/river/peaches.river b/river/peaches.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..533ada7 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/peaches.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,773 @@ | |||
1 | peaches | ||
2 | my | ||
3 | anger | ||
4 | is | ||
5 | like | ||
6 | a | ||
7 | peach | ||
8 | he | ||
9 | said | ||
10 | he | ||
11 | was | ||
12 | trying | ||
13 | to | ||
14 | show | ||
15 | how | ||
16 | metaphors | ||
17 | could | ||
18 | be | ||
19 | anything | ||
20 | i | ||
21 | thought | ||
22 | it | ||
23 | worked | ||
24 | i | ||
25 | wrote | ||
26 | it | ||
27 | down | ||
28 | in | ||
29 | my | ||
30 | red | ||
31 | notebook | ||
32 | in | ||
33 | my | ||
34 | other | ||
35 | class | ||
36 | there | ||
37 | was | ||
38 | a | ||
39 | long | ||
40 | discussion | ||
41 | about | ||
42 | the | ||
43 | difference | ||
44 | between | ||
45 | metaphor | ||
46 | and | ||
47 | simile | ||
48 | as | ||
49 | they | ||
50 | relate | ||
51 | to | ||
52 | prufrock | ||
53 | i | ||
54 | could | ||
55 | only | ||
56 | think | ||
57 | about | ||
58 | his | ||
59 | peaches | ||
60 | i | ||
61 | wonder | ||
62 | if | ||
63 | he | ||
64 | dared | ||
65 | a | ||
66 | few | ||
67 | years | ||
68 | ago | ||
69 | my | ||
70 | friend | ||
71 | dressed | ||
72 | up | ||
73 | as | ||
74 | j | ||
75 | alfred | ||
76 | prufrock | ||
77 | for | ||
78 | halloween | ||
79 | her | ||
80 | costume | ||
81 | consisted | ||
82 | of | ||
83 | rolled | ||
84 | khaki | ||
85 | trousers | ||
86 | and | ||
87 | a | ||
88 | peach | ||
89 | i | ||
90 | wonder | ||
91 | where | ||
92 | she | ||
93 | found | ||
94 | that | ||
95 | in | ||
96 | october | ||
97 | she | ||
98 | was | ||
99 | annoyed | ||
100 | that | ||
101 | she | ||
102 | had | ||
103 | to | ||
104 | tell | ||
105 | everyone | ||
106 | who | ||
107 | she | ||
108 | was | ||
109 | at | ||
110 | a | ||
111 | writers | ||
112 | party | ||
113 | i | ||
114 | don't | ||
115 | remember | ||
116 | if | ||
117 | she | ||
118 | ate | ||
119 | that | ||
120 | peach | ||
121 | i | ||
122 | do | ||
123 | remember | ||
124 | the | ||
125 | main | ||
126 | meal | ||
127 | was | ||
128 | spaghetti | ||
129 | that | ||
130 | party | ||
131 | was | ||
132 | held | ||
133 | in | ||
134 | a | ||
135 | house | ||
136 | in | ||
137 | chattanooga | ||
138 | in | ||
139 | the | ||
140 | basement | ||
141 | there | ||
142 | was | ||
143 | a | ||
144 | big | ||
145 | back | ||
146 | yard | ||
147 | where | ||
148 | people | ||
149 | drank | ||
150 | and | ||
151 | talked | ||
152 | and | ||
153 | sat | ||
154 | in | ||
155 | the | ||
156 | darkness | ||
157 | somewhere | ||
158 | someone | ||
159 | was | ||
160 | smoking | ||
161 | weed | ||
162 | with | ||
163 | a | ||
164 | visiting | ||
165 | writer | ||
166 | earlier | ||
167 | that | ||
168 | day | ||
169 | the | ||
170 | writer | ||
171 | had | ||
172 | read | ||
173 | a | ||
174 | poem | ||
175 | about | ||
176 | his | ||
177 | car | ||
178 | accident | ||
179 | a | ||
180 | year | ||
181 | ago | ||
182 | in | ||
183 | georgia | ||
184 | on | ||
185 | the | ||
186 | interstate | ||
187 | it | ||
188 | had | ||
189 | broken | ||
190 | him | ||
191 | pretty | ||
192 | badly | ||
193 | and | ||
194 | his | ||
195 | wife | ||
196 | but | ||
197 | somehow | ||
198 | their | ||
199 | child | ||
200 | was | ||
201 | unharmed | ||
202 | he | ||
203 | said | ||
204 | something | ||
205 | about | ||
206 | the | ||
207 | peach | ||
208 | pit | ||
209 | being | ||
210 | the | ||
211 | one | ||
212 | place | ||
213 | georgia | ||
214 | held | ||
215 | sacred | ||
216 | he | ||
217 | said | ||
218 | it | ||
219 | was | ||
220 | the | ||
221 | place | ||
222 | where | ||
223 | all | ||
224 | new | ||
225 | things | ||
226 | grow | ||
227 | i | ||
228 | can | ||
229 | see | ||
230 | how | ||
231 | anger | ||
232 | could | ||
233 | be | ||
234 | like | ||
235 | a | ||
236 | peach | ||
237 | its | ||
238 | juice | ||
239 | runs | ||
240 | out | ||
241 | of | ||
242 | the | ||
243 | mouth | ||
244 | and | ||
245 | down | ||
246 | the | ||
247 | chin | ||
248 | dropping | ||
249 | onto | ||
250 | the | ||
251 | pants | ||
252 | and | ||
253 | staining | ||
254 | them | ||
255 | in | ||
256 | the | ||
257 | same | ||
258 | way | ||
259 | i | ||
260 | can | ||
261 | see | ||
262 | how | ||
263 | anger | ||
264 | is | ||
265 | like | ||
266 | sex | ||
267 | they | ||
268 | are | ||
269 | both | ||
270 | heightened | ||
271 | states | ||
272 | of | ||
273 | emotional | ||
274 | observation | ||
275 | in | ||
276 | atlanta | ||
277 | there | ||
278 | are | ||
279 | something | ||
280 | like | ||
281 | five | ||
282 | or | ||
283 | ten | ||
284 | peachtree | ||
285 | streets | ||
286 | i'm | ||
287 | not | ||
288 | sure | ||
289 | if | ||
290 | they | ||
291 | all | ||
292 | connect | ||
293 | at | ||
294 | some | ||
295 | point | ||
296 | but | ||
297 | from | ||
298 | what | ||
299 | i | ||
300 | could | ||
301 | see | ||
302 | they | ||
303 | would | ||
304 | have | ||
305 | to | ||
306 | do | ||
307 | some | ||
308 | contorting | ||
309 | to | ||
310 | get | ||
311 | to | ||
312 | the | ||
313 | same | ||
314 | point | ||
315 | i | ||
316 | like | ||
317 | to | ||
318 | think | ||
319 | a | ||
320 | giant | ||
321 | peach | ||
322 | tree | ||
323 | grows | ||
324 | there | ||
325 | like | ||
326 | the | ||
327 | tree | ||
328 | of | ||
329 | the | ||
330 | knowledge | ||
331 | of | ||
332 | good | ||
333 | and | ||
334 | evil | ||
335 | i | ||
336 | was | ||
337 | walking | ||
338 | down | ||
339 | one | ||
340 | of | ||
341 | atlanta's | ||
342 | peachtrees | ||
343 | with | ||
344 | my | ||
345 | girlfriend | ||
346 | when | ||
347 | a | ||
348 | man | ||
349 | in | ||
350 | tight | ||
351 | pants | ||
352 | a | ||
353 | runner | ||
354 | jogged | ||
355 | past | ||
356 | us | ||
357 | we | ||
358 | both | ||
359 | agreed | ||
360 | he | ||
361 | had | ||
362 | a | ||
363 | marvelous | ||
364 | ass | ||
365 | i | ||
366 | was | ||
367 | annoyed | ||
368 | however | ||
369 | when | ||
370 | she | ||
371 | confessed | ||
372 | that | ||
373 | she | ||
374 | wished | ||
375 | i | ||
376 | had | ||
377 | one | ||
378 | like | ||
379 | his | ||
380 | later | ||
381 | we | ||
382 | ate | ||
383 | at | ||
384 | a | ||
385 | taqueria | ||
386 | with | ||
387 | peach-habanero | ||
388 | salsa | ||
389 | my | ||
390 | mother | ||
391 | would | ||
392 | read | ||
393 | to | ||
394 | us | ||
395 | as | ||
396 | children | ||
397 | the | ||
398 | first | ||
399 | real | ||
400 | books | ||
401 | i | ||
402 | remember | ||
403 | the | ||
404 | first | ||
405 | novels | ||
406 | are | ||
407 | island | ||
408 | of | ||
409 | the | ||
410 | blue | ||
411 | dolphins | ||
412 | and | ||
413 | james | ||
414 | and | ||
415 | the | ||
416 | giant | ||
417 | peach | ||
418 | i | ||
419 | don't | ||
420 | remember | ||
421 | island | ||
422 | of | ||
423 | the | ||
424 | blue | ||
425 | dolphins | ||
426 | as | ||
427 | well | ||
428 | probably | ||
429 | because | ||
430 | no | ||
431 | movie | ||
432 | was | ||
433 | made | ||
434 | of | ||
435 | it | ||
436 | there's | ||
437 | an | ||
438 | independent | ||
439 | video | ||
440 | rental | ||
441 | store | ||
442 | where | ||
443 | i | ||
444 | grew | ||
445 | up | ||
446 | called | ||
447 | popcorn | ||
448 | video | ||
449 | one | ||
450 | of | ||
451 | the | ||
452 | only | ||
453 | stores | ||
454 | i | ||
455 | went | ||
456 | to | ||
457 | in | ||
458 | my | ||
459 | hometown | ||
460 | that | ||
461 | wasn't | ||
462 | a | ||
463 | chain | ||
464 | every | ||
465 | time | ||
466 | we | ||
467 | went | ||
468 | my | ||
469 | sister | ||
470 | would | ||
471 | rent | ||
472 | two | ||
473 | movies | ||
474 | james | ||
475 | and | ||
476 | the | ||
477 | giant | ||
478 | peach | ||
479 | and | ||
480 | home | ||
481 | alone | ||
482 | 3 | ||
483 | i | ||
484 | wasn't | ||
485 | allowed | ||
486 | to | ||
487 | stay | ||
488 | home | ||
489 | alone | ||
490 | or | ||
491 | i | ||
492 | don't | ||
493 | remember | ||
494 | it | ||
495 | until | ||
496 | i | ||
497 | was | ||
498 | fifteen | ||
499 | i | ||
500 | built | ||
501 | a | ||
502 | potato | ||
503 | cannon | ||
504 | out | ||
505 | of | ||
506 | pvc | ||
507 | pipe | ||
508 | and | ||
509 | a | ||
510 | barbecue | ||
511 | lighter | ||
512 | i | ||
513 | would | ||
514 | load | ||
515 | a | ||
516 | potato | ||
517 | spray | ||
518 | hairspray | ||
519 | into | ||
520 | the | ||
521 | barrel | ||
522 | and | ||
523 | light | ||
524 | it | ||
525 | once | ||
526 | the | ||
527 | cannon | ||
528 | wouldn't | ||
529 | light | ||
530 | i | ||
531 | looked | ||
532 | down | ||
533 | the | ||
534 | barrel | ||
535 | and | ||
536 | pushed | ||
537 | the | ||
538 | trigger | ||
539 | button | ||
540 | to | ||
541 | see | ||
542 | if | ||
543 | i | ||
544 | could | ||
545 | see | ||
546 | a | ||
547 | light | ||
548 | i | ||
549 | forgot | ||
550 | that | ||
551 | i | ||
552 | had | ||
553 | already | ||
554 | primed | ||
555 | the | ||
556 | barrel | ||
557 | with | ||
558 | hairspray | ||
559 | i | ||
560 | singed | ||
561 | my | ||
562 | eyebrows | ||
563 | and | ||
564 | bangs | ||
565 | in | ||
566 | peach | ||
567 | season | ||
568 | my | ||
569 | father | ||
570 | would | ||
571 | bring | ||
572 | home | ||
573 | a | ||
574 | bag | ||
575 | of | ||
576 | the | ||
577 | freestones | ||
578 | every | ||
579 | week | ||
580 | or | ||
581 | so | ||
582 | he | ||
583 | always | ||
584 | got | ||
585 | the | ||
586 | cheap | ||
587 | ones | ||
588 | so | ||
589 | they | ||
590 | were | ||
591 | usually | ||
592 | dry | ||
593 | and | ||
594 | pithy | ||
595 | with | ||
596 | a | ||
597 | stone | ||
598 | that | ||
599 | fell | ||
600 | apart | ||
601 | and | ||
602 | nearly | ||
603 | broke | ||
604 | my | ||
605 | tooth | ||
606 | i | ||
607 | don't | ||
608 | eat | ||
609 | them | ||
610 | anymore | ||
611 | when | ||
612 | i | ||
613 | go | ||
614 | home | ||
615 | my | ||
616 | mother | ||
617 | would | ||
618 | always | ||
619 | eat | ||
620 | canned | ||
621 | peaches | ||
622 | with | ||
623 | cottage | ||
624 | cheese | ||
625 | for | ||
626 | some | ||
627 | reason | ||
628 | i | ||
629 | didn't | ||
630 | think | ||
631 | this | ||
632 | was | ||
633 | common | ||
634 | knowledge | ||
635 | i | ||
636 | showed | ||
637 | people | ||
638 | how | ||
639 | good | ||
640 | it | ||
641 | was | ||
642 | when | ||
643 | we | ||
644 | went | ||
645 | to | ||
646 | a | ||
647 | buffet | ||
648 | they | ||
649 | said | ||
650 | i | ||
651 | know | ||
652 | to | ||
653 | be | ||
654 | honest | ||
655 | i'm | ||
656 | not | ||
657 | even | ||
658 | sure | ||
659 | what | ||
660 | a | ||
661 | peach | ||
662 | tree | ||
663 | looks | ||
664 | like | ||
665 | i | ||
666 | do | ||
667 | know | ||
668 | what | ||
669 | an | ||
670 | orange | ||
671 | tree | ||
672 | looks | ||
673 | like | ||
674 | from | ||
675 | a | ||
676 | backyard | ||
677 | in | ||
678 | phoenix | ||
679 | and | ||
680 | a | ||
681 | fig | ||
682 | tree | ||
683 | from | ||
684 | a | ||
685 | back | ||
686 | yard | ||
687 | in | ||
688 | chattanooga | ||
689 | i | ||
690 | also | ||
691 | know | ||
692 | what | ||
693 | a | ||
694 | cherry | ||
695 | tree | ||
696 | looks | ||
697 | like | ||
698 | or | ||
699 | at | ||
700 | least | ||
701 | a | ||
702 | type | ||
703 | of | ||
704 | them | ||
705 | from | ||
706 | my | ||
707 | own | ||
708 | backyard | ||
709 | at | ||
710 | home | ||
711 | as | ||
712 | well | ||
713 | as | ||
714 | mulberry | ||
715 | and | ||
716 | apple | ||
717 | if | ||
718 | for | ||
719 | some | ||
720 | reason | ||
721 | i | ||
722 | find | ||
723 | myself | ||
724 | lost | ||
725 | in | ||
726 | a | ||
727 | sinister | ||
728 | garden | ||
729 | of | ||
730 | eden | ||
731 | i'll | ||
732 | at | ||
733 | least | ||
734 | know | ||
735 | a | ||
736 | few | ||
737 | of | ||
738 | the | ||
739 | trees | ||
740 | i | ||
741 | can | ||
742 | eat | ||
743 | from | ||
744 | i | ||
745 | always | ||
746 | heard | ||
747 | growing | ||
748 | up | ||
749 | that | ||
750 | the | ||
751 | fruit | ||
752 | of | ||
753 | the | ||
754 | tree | ||
755 | of | ||
756 | the | ||
757 | knowledge | ||
758 | of | ||
759 | good | ||
760 | and | ||
761 | evil | ||
762 | was | ||
763 | an | ||
764 | apple | ||
765 | maybe | ||
766 | i'll | ||
767 | luck | ||
768 | out | ||
769 | maybe | ||
770 | it'll | ||
771 | be | ||
772 | a | ||
773 | peach | ||
diff --git a/river/walking-in-the-rain.river b/river/walking-in-the-rain.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a49acac --- /dev/null +++ b/river/walking-in-the-rain.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@ | |||
1 | walking | ||
2 | in | ||
3 | the | ||
4 | rain | ||
5 | i | ||
6 | can | ||
7 | walk | ||
8 | through | ||
9 | the | ||
10 | rain | ||
11 | that | ||
12 | rare | ||
13 | occurrence | ||
14 | and | ||
15 | never | ||
16 | be | ||
17 | hit | ||
18 | by | ||
19 | a | ||
20 | drop | ||
21 | there | ||
22 | is | ||
23 | a | ||
24 | space | ||
25 | around | ||
26 | me | ||
27 | that | ||
28 | refuses | ||
29 | to | ||
30 | be | ||
31 | penetrated | ||
32 | by | ||
33 | weather | ||
34 | of | ||
35 | any | ||
36 | kind | ||
37 | be | ||
38 | it | ||
39 | rain | ||
40 | or | ||
41 | snow | ||
42 | or | ||
43 | sunshine | ||
44 | is | ||
45 | it | ||
46 | cold | ||
47 | i | ||
48 | hear | ||
49 | you | ||
50 | asking | ||
51 | in | ||
52 | your | ||
53 | voice | ||
54 | soft | ||
55 | as | ||
56 | a | ||
57 | breeze | ||
58 | no | ||
59 | it | ||
60 | is | ||
61 | not | ||
62 | particularly | ||
63 | cold | ||
64 | if | ||
65 | i | ||
66 | were | ||
67 | to | ||
68 | describe | ||
69 | it | ||
70 | as | ||
71 | warm | ||
72 | i | ||
73 | would | ||
74 | be | ||
75 | lying | ||
76 | as | ||
77 | well | ||
78 | if | ||
79 | i | ||
80 | were | ||
81 | to | ||
82 | pretend | ||
83 | i | ||
84 | heard | ||
85 | you | ||
86 | far-off | ||
87 | mirage | ||
88 | breeze | ||
89 | on | ||
90 | the | ||
91 | horizon | ||
92 | no | ||
93 | truth | ||
94 | would | ||
95 | ever | ||
96 | be | ||
97 | said | ||
98 | to | ||
99 | have | ||
100 | come | ||
101 | from | ||
102 | my | ||
103 | frozen | ||
104 | lips | ||
diff --git a/river/what-we-are-made-of.river b/river/what-we-are-made-of.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d4ee56 --- /dev/null +++ b/river/what-we-are-made-of.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,730 @@ | |||
1 | what | ||
2 | we | ||
3 | are | ||
4 | made | ||
5 | of | ||
6 | there | ||
7 | is | ||
8 | a | ||
9 | cave | ||
10 | just | ||
11 | outside | ||
12 | of | ||
13 | flagstaff | ||
14 | made | ||
15 | from | ||
16 | ancient | ||
17 | lava | ||
18 | flows | ||
19 | we | ||
20 | went | ||
21 | inside | ||
22 | it | ||
23 | to | ||
24 | where | ||
25 | the | ||
26 | darkness | ||
27 | was | ||
28 | a | ||
29 | presence | ||
30 | it | ||
31 | walked | ||
32 | with | ||
33 | us | ||
34 | like | ||
35 | a | ||
36 | christ | ||
37 | our | ||
38 | footsteps | ||
39 | fell | ||
40 | dead | ||
41 | on | ||
42 | its | ||
43 | walls | ||
44 | we | ||
45 | learned | ||
46 | what | ||
47 | space | ||
48 | felt | ||
49 | like | ||
50 | and | ||
51 | drowning | ||
52 | and | ||
53 | being | ||
54 | crushed | ||
55 | and | ||
56 | going | ||
57 | blind | ||
58 | and | ||
59 | deaf | ||
60 | we | ||
61 | made | ||
62 | up | ||
63 | words | ||
64 | to | ||
65 | push | ||
66 | the | ||
67 | feeling | ||
68 | away | ||
69 | to | ||
70 | goad | ||
71 | it | ||
72 | like | ||
73 | mockingbirds | ||
74 | fighting | ||
75 | hawks | ||
76 | we | ||
77 | called | ||
78 | it | ||
79 | creepy | ||
80 | to | ||
81 | its | ||
82 | face | ||
83 | it | ||
84 | stared | ||
85 | back | ||
86 | dispassionate | ||
87 | in | ||
88 | a | ||
89 | bathroom | ||
90 | i | ||
91 | know | ||
92 | there | ||
93 | is | ||
94 | a | ||
95 | low | ||
96 | thrumming | ||
97 | that | ||
98 | comes | ||
99 | from | ||
100 | the | ||
101 | air | ||
102 | ducts | ||
103 | in | ||
104 | the | ||
105 | ceiling | ||
106 | it | ||
107 | comforts | ||
108 | me | ||
109 | in | ||
110 | the | ||
111 | same | ||
112 | way | ||
113 | the | ||
114 | smell | ||
115 | of | ||
116 | toilet-water | ||
117 | calms | ||
118 | my | ||
119 | stomach | ||
120 | it | ||
121 | is | ||
122 | a | ||
123 | sound | ||
124 | so | ||
125 | close | ||
126 | to | ||
127 | quiet | ||
128 | so | ||
129 | close | ||
130 | to | ||
131 | the | ||
132 | porcelain | ||
133 | whiteness | ||
134 | of | ||
135 | the | ||
136 | toilet | ||
137 | it | ||
138 | pushes | ||
139 | all | ||
140 | other | ||
141 | noise | ||
142 | away | ||
143 | it | ||
144 | is | ||
145 | deafening | ||
146 | quiet | ||
147 | in | ||
148 | its | ||
149 | most | ||
150 | real | ||
151 | form | ||
152 | its | ||
153 | most | ||
154 | realizable | ||
155 | form | ||
156 | the | ||
157 | eggs | ||
158 | on | ||
159 | the | ||
160 | floor | ||
161 | broken | ||
162 | not | ||
163 | the | ||
164 | eggs | ||
165 | in | ||
166 | their | ||
167 | journey | ||
168 | to | ||
169 | the | ||
170 | floor | ||
171 | or | ||
172 | from | ||
173 | the | ||
174 | farm | ||
175 | or | ||
176 | from | ||
177 | the | ||
178 | hen | ||
179 | on | ||
180 | the | ||
181 | farm | ||
182 | in | ||
183 | the | ||
184 | cage | ||
185 | glowing | ||
186 | under | ||
187 | fluorescent | ||
188 | lights | ||
189 | its | ||
190 | neighbors | ||
191 | pressed | ||
192 | to | ||
193 | its | ||
194 | body | ||
195 | rotten-smelling | ||
196 | grotesque | ||
197 | not | ||
198 | the | ||
199 | fateful | ||
200 | meeting | ||
201 | with | ||
202 | the | ||
203 | floor | ||
204 | not | ||
205 | the | ||
206 | long | ||
207 | wait | ||
208 | in | ||
209 | darkness | ||
210 | for | ||
211 | the | ||
212 | fluorescent | ||
213 | dawn | ||
214 | cacophonous | ||
215 | with | ||
216 | pain | ||
217 | and | ||
218 | smell | ||
219 | none | ||
220 | of | ||
221 | this | ||
222 | the | ||
223 | sunlight | ||
224 | on | ||
225 | the | ||
226 | kitchen | ||
227 | tile | ||
228 | the | ||
229 | refrigerator | ||
230 | softly | ||
231 | humming | ||
232 | the | ||
233 | eggs | ||
234 | on | ||
235 | the | ||
236 | floor | ||
237 | the | ||
238 | yolks | ||
239 | glistening | ||
240 | i | ||
241 | compose | ||
242 | with | ||
243 | music | ||
244 | best | ||
245 | under | ||
246 | its | ||
247 | meaninglessness | ||
248 | i | ||
249 | am | ||
250 | able | ||
251 | to | ||
252 | hear | ||
253 | the | ||
254 | silence | ||
255 | a | ||
256 | different | ||
257 | meaninglessness | ||
258 | a | ||
259 | somehow-deeper | ||
260 | meaninglessness | ||
261 | the | ||
262 | inverse | ||
263 | of | ||
264 | repeating | ||
265 | a | ||
266 | word | ||
267 | until | ||
268 | it | ||
269 | is | ||
270 | only | ||
271 | sound | ||
272 | i | ||
273 | can | ||
274 | hear | ||
275 | the | ||
276 | taboo | ||
277 | the | ||
278 | never-spoken | ||
279 | unacknowledged | ||
280 | i | ||
281 | write | ||
282 | to | ||
283 | drown | ||
284 | its | ||
285 | sound | ||
286 | with | ||
287 | the | ||
288 | scratching | ||
289 | of | ||
290 | my | ||
291 | pen | ||
292 | silence | ||
293 | lies | ||
294 | underneath | ||
295 | us | ||
296 | all | ||
297 | in | ||
298 | the | ||
299 | same | ||
300 | way | ||
301 | the | ||
302 | nile | ||
303 | has | ||
304 | a | ||
305 | river | ||
306 | underneath | ||
307 | ten | ||
308 | times | ||
309 | as | ||
310 | large | ||
311 | though | ||
312 | this | ||
313 | is | ||
314 | an | ||
315 | urban | ||
316 | legend | ||
317 | apparently | ||
318 | i | ||
319 | threw | ||
320 | a | ||
321 | party | ||
322 | in | ||
323 | my | ||
324 | dream | ||
325 | and | ||
326 | went | ||
327 | to | ||
328 | the | ||
329 | bathroom | ||
330 | down | ||
331 | a | ||
332 | long | ||
333 | dark | ||
334 | hallway | ||
335 | i | ||
336 | began | ||
337 | to | ||
338 | leave | ||
339 | and | ||
340 | noticed | ||
341 | the | ||
342 | bathtub | ||
343 | full | ||
344 | of | ||
345 | stuffed | ||
346 | animals | ||
347 | in | ||
348 | a | ||
349 | heap | ||
350 | i | ||
351 | examined | ||
352 | them | ||
353 | each | ||
354 | in | ||
355 | turn | ||
356 | an | ||
357 | elephant | ||
358 | a | ||
359 | tiger | ||
360 | each | ||
361 | backgrounded | ||
362 | by | ||
363 | white | ||
364 | tile | ||
365 | a | ||
366 | warthog | ||
367 | sat | ||
368 | at | ||
369 | the | ||
370 | top | ||
371 | of | ||
372 | the | ||
373 | heap | ||
374 | it | ||
375 | caught | ||
376 | my | ||
377 | eye | ||
378 | i | ||
379 | stared | ||
380 | it | ||
381 | slowly | ||
382 | winked | ||
383 | sneering | ||
384 | i | ||
385 | reached | ||
386 | out | ||
387 | my | ||
388 | finger | ||
389 | and | ||
390 | poked | ||
391 | it | ||
392 | like | ||
393 | the | ||
394 | pillsbury | ||
395 | doughboy | ||
396 | it | ||
397 | responded | ||
398 | in | ||
399 | kind | ||
400 | chuckling | ||
401 | i | ||
402 | woke | ||
403 | with | ||
404 | a | ||
405 | start | ||
406 | terrified | ||
407 | it | ||
408 | had | ||
409 | made | ||
410 | no | ||
411 | sound | ||
412 | there | ||
413 | are | ||
414 | at | ||
415 | least | ||
416 | two | ||
417 | kinds | ||
418 | of | ||
419 | silence | ||
420 | in | ||
421 | the | ||
422 | same | ||
423 | way | ||
424 | that | ||
425 | there | ||
426 | are | ||
427 | at | ||
428 | least | ||
429 | two | ||
430 | kinds | ||
431 | of | ||
432 | sadness | ||
433 | there | ||
434 | is | ||
435 | the | ||
436 | silence | ||
437 | of | ||
438 | after | ||
439 | the | ||
440 | staring | ||
441 | open-mouthed | ||
442 | silence | ||
443 | the | ||
444 | what-do-we-do-now | ||
445 | silence | ||
446 | there | ||
447 | is | ||
448 | the | ||
449 | silence | ||
450 | of | ||
451 | before | ||
452 | the | ||
453 | still | ||
454 | before | ||
455 | rainfall | ||
456 | the | ||
457 | just-woken-up | ||
458 | there | ||
459 | is | ||
460 | now | ||
461 | i'm | ||
462 | thinking | ||
463 | about | ||
464 | it | ||
465 | the | ||
466 | silence | ||
467 | of | ||
468 | between | ||
469 | the | ||
470 | waiting | ||
471 | room | ||
472 | after | ||
473 | the | ||
474 | heart | ||
475 | attack | ||
476 | after | ||
477 | the | ||
478 | phone | ||
479 | call | ||
480 | after | ||
481 | the | ||
482 | hurried | ||
483 | drive | ||
484 | the | ||
485 | fast | ||
486 | walking | ||
487 | down | ||
488 | hospital | ||
489 | hallways | ||
490 | the | ||
491 | finding | ||
492 | the | ||
493 | room | ||
494 | my | ||
495 | family | ||
496 | their | ||
497 | faces | ||
498 | the | ||
499 | silence | ||
500 | of | ||
501 | after | ||
502 | the | ||
503 | tv | ||
504 | quietly | ||
505 | playing | ||
506 | maurie | ||
507 | the | ||
508 | silence | ||
509 | underneath | ||
510 | that | ||
511 | the | ||
512 | waiting | ||
513 | room | ||
514 | before | ||
515 | the | ||
516 | doctor | ||
517 | comes | ||
518 | in | ||
519 | tells | ||
520 | us | ||
521 | what | ||
522 | happened | ||
523 | the | ||
524 | chances | ||
525 | before | ||
526 | my | ||
527 | parents | ||
528 | drive | ||
529 | down | ||
530 | their | ||
531 | three | ||
532 | long | ||
533 | hours | ||
534 | in | ||
535 | the | ||
536 | car | ||
537 | before | ||
538 | we | ||
539 | become | ||
540 | the | ||
541 | hospital | ||
542 | people | ||
543 | for | ||
544 | five | ||
545 | days | ||
546 | camped-out | ||
547 | loud | ||
548 | cackling | ||
549 | crying | ||
550 | doing | ||
551 | crosswords | ||
552 | watching | ||
553 | her | ||
554 | die | ||
555 | the | ||
556 | silence | ||
557 | of | ||
558 | wondering | ||
559 | whether | ||
560 | we | ||
561 | could've | ||
562 | known | ||
563 | each | ||
564 | other | ||
565 | better | ||
566 | the | ||
567 | silence | ||
568 | of | ||
569 | the | ||
570 | long | ||
571 | trip | ||
572 | we | ||
573 | prefer | ||
574 | to | ||
575 | believe | ||
576 | she's | ||
577 | gone | ||
578 | on | ||
579 | which | ||
580 | is | ||
581 | really | ||
582 | the | ||
583 | silence | ||
584 | of | ||
585 | her | ||
586 | absence | ||
587 | the | ||
588 | eggs | ||
589 | on | ||
590 | the | ||
591 | floor | ||
592 | broken | ||
593 | in | ||
594 | other | ||
595 | dreams | ||
596 | all | ||
597 | i've | ||
598 | watched | ||
599 | all | ||
600 | of | ||
601 | my | ||
602 | family | ||
603 | dying | ||
604 | my | ||
605 | father | ||
606 | i | ||
607 | remember | ||
608 | best | ||
609 | he | ||
610 | was | ||
611 | on | ||
612 | the | ||
613 | wicker | ||
614 | rocking | ||
615 | chair | ||
616 | on | ||
617 | the | ||
618 | porch | ||
619 | staring | ||
620 | at | ||
621 | the | ||
622 | back | ||
623 | yard | ||
624 | the | ||
625 | evergreen | ||
626 | trees | ||
627 | in | ||
628 | a | ||
629 | magic | ||
630 | triangle | ||
631 | their | ||
632 | branches | ||
633 | intertwined | ||
634 | we | ||
635 | were | ||
636 | all | ||
637 | on | ||
638 | the | ||
639 | porch | ||
640 | and | ||
641 | i | ||
642 | heard | ||
643 | like | ||
644 | a | ||
645 | far-away | ||
646 | bell | ||
647 | the | ||
648 | moment | ||
649 | of | ||
650 | his | ||
651 | death | ||
652 | i | ||
653 | woke | ||
654 | up | ||
655 | crying | ||
656 | my | ||
657 | throat | ||
658 | closed | ||
659 | with | ||
660 | grief | ||
661 | leaving | ||
662 | after | ||
663 | the | ||
664 | goodbye | ||
665 | at | ||
666 | the | ||
667 | hotel | ||
668 | realizing | ||
669 | i | ||
670 | won't | ||
671 | be | ||
672 | home | ||
673 | until | ||
674 | christmas | ||
675 | that | ||
676 | i'm | ||
677 | on | ||
678 | my | ||
679 | own | ||
680 | long | ||
681 | trip | ||
682 | someone | ||
683 | on | ||
684 | the | ||
685 | radio | ||
686 | station | ||
687 | i'm | ||
688 | listening | ||
689 | to | ||
690 | in | ||
691 | the | ||
692 | car | ||
693 | screws | ||
694 | up | ||
695 | transferring | ||
696 | tapes | ||
697 | broadcasts | ||
698 | dead | ||
699 | air | ||
700 | the | ||
701 | silence | ||
702 | yawns | ||
703 | like | ||
704 | a | ||
705 | chasm | ||
706 | lasting | ||
707 | for | ||
708 | years | ||
709 | the | ||
710 | wind | ||
711 | picks | ||
712 | me | ||
713 | up | ||
714 | and | ||
715 | carries | ||
716 | me | ||
717 | away | ||
718 | i | ||
719 | see | ||
720 | everything | ||
721 | from | ||
722 | a | ||
723 | great | ||
724 | height | ||
725 | i | ||
726 | see | ||
727 | the | ||
728 | future | ||
729 | i'm | ||
730 | waiting | ||
diff --git a/river/words-irritable-reaching.river b/river/words-irritable-reaching.river new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b72119d --- /dev/null +++ b/river/words-irritable-reaching.river | |||
@@ -0,0 +1,827 @@ | |||
1 | words | ||
2 | and | ||
3 | their | ||
4 | irritable | ||
5 | reaching | ||
6 | somewhere | ||
7 | i | ||
8 | remember | ||
9 | reading | ||
10 | advice | ||
11 | for | ||
12 | beginning | ||
13 | writers | ||
14 | not | ||
15 | to | ||
16 | show | ||
17 | their | ||
18 | work | ||
19 | to | ||
20 | anyone | ||
21 | at | ||
22 | least | ||
23 | that | ||
24 | in | ||
25 | the | ||
26 | early | ||
27 | stages | ||
28 | the | ||
29 | author | ||
30 | argued | ||
31 | that | ||
32 | it | ||
33 | took | ||
34 | all | ||
35 | of | ||
36 | the | ||
37 | power | ||
38 | out | ||
39 | of | ||
40 | the | ||
41 | idea | ||
42 | like | ||
43 | a | ||
44 | pressure-release | ||
45 | valve | ||
46 | before | ||
47 | any | ||
48 | of | ||
49 | that | ||
50 | creative | ||
51 | power | ||
52 | got | ||
53 | to | ||
54 | be | ||
55 | applied | ||
56 | to | ||
57 | the | ||
58 | page | ||
59 | it | ||
60 | made | ||
61 | me | ||
62 | think | ||
63 | of | ||
64 | meditation | ||
65 | at | ||
66 | legunitas | ||
67 | when | ||
68 | hass | ||
69 | writes | ||
70 | that | ||
71 | each | ||
72 | particular | ||
73 | erases | ||
74 | / | ||
75 | the | ||
76 | luminous | ||
77 | clarity | ||
78 | of | ||
79 | a | ||
80 | general | ||
81 | idea | ||
82 | as | ||
83 | a | ||
84 | self-confessed | ||
85 | general | ||
86 | idea | ||
87 | person | ||
88 | i | ||
89 | identify | ||
90 | with | ||
91 | the | ||
92 | remark | ||
93 | it | ||
94 | does | ||
95 | seem | ||
96 | as | ||
97 | though | ||
98 | no | ||
99 | matter | ||
100 | how | ||
101 | lofty | ||
102 | the | ||
103 | idea | ||
104 | i | ||
105 | originally | ||
106 | have | ||
107 | for | ||
108 | a | ||
109 | poem | ||
110 | once | ||
111 | i | ||
112 | sit | ||
113 | down | ||
114 | to | ||
115 | write | ||
116 | the | ||
117 | thing | ||
118 | i | ||
119 | quickly | ||
120 | get | ||
121 | bogged | ||
122 | down | ||
123 | in | ||
124 | the | ||
125 | details | ||
126 | the | ||
127 | particulars | ||
128 | i | ||
129 | guess | ||
130 | the | ||
131 | writer | ||
132 | of | ||
133 | that | ||
134 | lost | ||
135 | article | ||
136 | must | ||
137 | work | ||
138 | the | ||
139 | same | ||
140 | way | ||
141 | leading | ||
142 | to | ||
143 | their | ||
144 | advice | ||
145 | if | ||
146 | the | ||
147 | luminous | ||
148 | clarity | ||
149 | of | ||
150 | a | ||
151 | general | ||
152 | idea | ||
153 | is | ||
154 | so | ||
155 | fragile | ||
156 | that | ||
157 | just | ||
158 | beginning | ||
159 | to | ||
160 | write | ||
161 | it | ||
162 | down | ||
163 | ruins | ||
164 | it | ||
165 | somehow | ||
166 | telling | ||
167 | people | ||
168 | about | ||
169 | it | ||
170 | is | ||
171 | even | ||
172 | worse | ||
173 | but | ||
174 | back | ||
175 | to | ||
176 | that | ||
177 | robert | ||
178 | hass | ||
179 | poem | ||
180 | while | ||
181 | he | ||
182 | does | ||
183 | say | ||
184 | that | ||
185 | thing | ||
186 | about | ||
187 | the | ||
188 | luminous | ||
189 | clarity | ||
190 | of | ||
191 | a | ||
192 | general | ||
193 | idea | ||
194 | and | ||
195 | he | ||
196 | adds | ||
197 | to | ||
198 | it | ||
199 | that | ||
200 | a | ||
201 | word | ||
202 | is | ||
203 | elegy | ||
204 | to | ||
205 | what | ||
206 | it | ||
207 | signifies | ||
208 | his | ||
209 | tone | ||
210 | is | ||
211 | lightly | ||
212 | chiding | ||
213 | this | ||
214 | philosophy | ||
215 | he | ||
216 | opens | ||
217 | his | ||
218 | poem | ||
219 | with | ||
220 | all | ||
221 | the | ||
222 | new | ||
223 | thinking | ||
224 | is | ||
225 | about | ||
226 | loss | ||
227 | / | ||
228 | in | ||
229 | this | ||
230 | it | ||
231 | resembles | ||
232 | all | ||
233 | the | ||
234 | old | ||
235 | thinking | ||
236 | which | ||
237 | to | ||
238 | my | ||
239 | mind | ||
240 | lampoons | ||
241 | both | ||
242 | the | ||
243 | new | ||
244 | and | ||
245 | the | ||
246 | old | ||
247 | thinking | ||
248 | for | ||
249 | not | ||
250 | having | ||
251 | anything | ||
252 | new | ||
253 | ultimately | ||
254 | to | ||
255 | say | ||
256 | he | ||
257 | attributes | ||
258 | these | ||
259 | thoughts | ||
260 | to | ||
261 | a | ||
262 | friend | ||
263 | whose | ||
264 | voice | ||
265 | carried | ||
266 | a | ||
267 | thin | ||
268 | wire | ||
269 | of | ||
270 | grief | ||
271 | a | ||
272 | tone | ||
273 | / | ||
274 | almost | ||
275 | querulous | ||
276 | about | ||
277 | that | ||
278 | loss | ||
279 | of | ||
280 | luminous | ||
281 | clarity | ||
282 | the | ||
283 | speaker | ||
284 | of | ||
285 | hass's | ||
286 | poem | ||
287 | remembers | ||
288 | a | ||
289 | woman | ||
290 | he | ||
291 | made | ||
292 | love | ||
293 | to | ||
294 | once | ||
295 | and | ||
296 | this | ||
297 | image | ||
298 | takes | ||
299 | over | ||
300 | the | ||
301 | poem | ||
302 | in | ||
303 | all | ||
304 | its | ||
305 | specificity | ||
306 | from | ||
307 | her | ||
308 | small | ||
309 | shoulders | ||
310 | to | ||
311 | his | ||
312 | childhood | ||
313 | river | ||
314 | / | ||
315 | with | ||
316 | its | ||
317 | island | ||
318 | willows | ||
319 | to | ||
320 | the | ||
321 | way | ||
322 | her | ||
323 | hands | ||
324 | dismantled | ||
325 | bread | ||
326 | even | ||
327 | in | ||
328 | disproving | ||
329 | his | ||
330 | friend's | ||
331 | remarks | ||
332 | through | ||
333 | his | ||
334 | imagery | ||
335 | the | ||
336 | speaker | ||
337 | of | ||
338 | meditation | ||
339 | at | ||
340 | legunitas | ||
341 | admits | ||
342 | that | ||
343 | it | ||
344 | hardly | ||
345 | had | ||
346 | to | ||
347 | do | ||
348 | with | ||
349 | her | ||
350 | and | ||
351 | here | ||
352 | is | ||
353 | the | ||
354 | heart | ||
355 | of | ||
356 | what | ||
357 | hass | ||
358 | is | ||
359 | saying | ||
360 | about | ||
361 | poetry | ||
362 | a | ||
363 | poem | ||
364 | hardly | ||
365 | has | ||
366 | to | ||
367 | do | ||
368 | with | ||
369 | what | ||
370 | it's | ||
371 | written | ||
372 | about | ||
373 | on | ||
374 | the | ||
375 | surface | ||
376 | level | ||
377 | as | ||
378 | richard | ||
379 | hugo | ||
380 | says | ||
381 | it | ||
382 | in | ||
383 | a | ||
384 | famous | ||
385 | essay | ||
386 | a | ||
387 | poem | ||
388 | has | ||
389 | a | ||
390 | triggering | ||
391 | subject | ||
392 | and | ||
393 | it | ||
394 | has | ||
395 | a | ||
396 | real | ||
397 | or | ||
398 | generated | ||
399 | subject | ||
400 | which | ||
401 | for | ||
402 | hugo | ||
403 | in | ||
404 | meditation | ||
405 | at | ||
406 | legunitas | ||
407 | is | ||
408 | something | ||
409 | about | ||
410 | the | ||
411 | way | ||
412 | that | ||
413 | not | ||
414 | only | ||
415 | general | ||
416 | ideas | ||
417 | but | ||
418 | particulars | ||
419 | such | ||
420 | as | ||
421 | the | ||
422 | body | ||
423 | or | ||
424 | hands | ||
425 | or | ||
426 | the | ||
427 | thing | ||
428 | her | ||
429 | father | ||
430 | said | ||
431 | that | ||
432 | hurt | ||
433 | her | ||
434 | which | ||
435 | is | ||
436 | such | ||
437 | a | ||
438 | beautiful | ||
439 | generality | ||
440 | that | ||
441 | is | ||
442 | somehow | ||
443 | also | ||
444 | a | ||
445 | particular | ||
446 | truth | ||
447 | are | ||
448 | luminous | ||
449 | to | ||
450 | poetry | ||
451 | and | ||
452 | to | ||
453 | life-as-lived | ||
454 | the | ||
455 | philosophers | ||
456 | can | ||
457 | say | ||
458 | what | ||
459 | they | ||
460 | want | ||
461 | but | ||
462 | we | ||
463 | experience | ||
464 | the | ||
465 | world | ||
466 | bodily | ||
467 | and | ||
468 | particularly | ||
469 | to | ||
470 | ourselves | ||
471 | there's | ||
472 | still | ||
473 | a | ||
474 | problem | ||
475 | with | ||
476 | language | ||
477 | however | ||
478 | to | ||
479 | which | ||
480 | hass | ||
481 | speaks | ||
482 | by | ||
483 | the | ||
484 | end | ||
485 | of | ||
486 | his | ||
487 | poem | ||
488 | with | ||
489 | those | ||
490 | repetitions | ||
491 | of | ||
492 | blackberry | ||
493 | blackberry | ||
494 | blackberry | ||
495 | in | ||
496 | that | ||
497 | as | ||
498 | jack | ||
499 | gilbert | ||
500 | says | ||
501 | in | ||
502 | his | ||
503 | poem | ||
504 | the | ||
505 | forgotten | ||
506 | dialect | ||
507 | of | ||
508 | the | ||
509 | heart | ||
510 | how | ||
511 | astonishing | ||
512 | it | ||
513 | is | ||
514 | that | ||
515 | language | ||
516 | can | ||
517 | almost | ||
518 | mean | ||
519 | / | ||
520 | but | ||
521 | frightening | ||
522 | that | ||
523 | it | ||
524 | does | ||
525 | not | ||
526 | quite | ||
527 | there | ||
528 | is | ||
529 | still | ||
530 | that | ||
531 | irritable | ||
532 | reaching | ||
533 | after | ||
534 | fact | ||
535 | & | ||
536 | reason | ||
537 | that | ||
538 | language | ||
539 | as | ||
540 | communication | ||
541 | requires | ||
542 | i | ||
543 | think | ||
544 | keats | ||
545 | would | ||
546 | agree | ||
547 | that | ||
548 | he | ||
549 | wrote | ||
550 | about | ||
551 | a | ||
552 | near-unattainable | ||
553 | ideal | ||
554 | in | ||
555 | his | ||
556 | letter | ||
557 | that | ||
558 | only | ||
559 | shakespeare | ||
560 | and | ||
561 | maybe | ||
562 | coleridge | ||
563 | and | ||
564 | a | ||
565 | few | ||
566 | others | ||
567 | could | ||
568 | achieve | ||
569 | this | ||
570 | negative | ||
571 | capability | ||
572 | gilbert | ||
573 | furthers | ||
574 | keats | ||
575 | in | ||
576 | asserting | ||
577 | that | ||
578 | no | ||
579 | matter | ||
580 | what | ||
581 | we | ||
582 | write | ||
583 | the | ||
584 | words | ||
585 | / | ||
586 | get | ||
587 | it | ||
588 | wrong | ||
589 | that | ||
590 | utterance | ||
591 | is | ||
592 | itself | ||
593 | that | ||
594 | irritable | ||
595 | reaching | ||
596 | in | ||
597 | gilbert's | ||
598 | poem | ||
599 | though | ||
600 | he | ||
601 | does | ||
602 | reach | ||
603 | after | ||
604 | something | ||
605 | in | ||
606 | the | ||
607 | second | ||
608 | half | ||
609 | of | ||
610 | the | ||
611 | poem | ||
612 | he | ||
613 | begins | ||
614 | to | ||
615 | imagine | ||
616 | what | ||
617 | the | ||
618 | mysterious | ||
619 | sumerian | ||
620 | tablets | ||
621 | could | ||
622 | be | ||
623 | as | ||
624 | poetry | ||
625 | instead | ||
626 | of | ||
627 | just | ||
628 | business | ||
629 | records | ||
630 | my | ||
631 | joy | ||
632 | is | ||
633 | the | ||
634 | same | ||
635 | as | ||
636 | twelve | ||
637 | ethiopian | ||
638 | goats | ||
639 | standing | ||
640 | in | ||
641 | the | ||
642 | morning | ||
643 | light | ||
644 | o | ||
645 | lord | ||
646 | thou | ||
647 | art | ||
648 | slabs | ||
649 | of | ||
650 | salt | ||
651 | and | ||
652 | ingots | ||
653 | of | ||
654 | copper | ||
655 | as | ||
656 | grand | ||
657 | as | ||
658 | ripe | ||
659 | barley | ||
660 | under | ||
661 | the | ||
662 | wind's | ||
663 | labor | ||
664 | her | ||
665 | breasts | ||
666 | are | ||
667 | six | ||
668 | white | ||
669 | oxen | ||
670 | loaded | ||
671 | with | ||
672 | bolts | ||
673 | of | ||
674 | long-fibered | ||
675 | egyptian | ||
676 | cotton | ||
677 | my | ||
678 | love | ||
679 | is | ||
680 | a | ||
681 | hundred | ||
682 | pitchers | ||
683 | of | ||
684 | honey | ||
685 | shiploads | ||
686 | of | ||
687 | thuya | ||
688 | are | ||
689 | what | ||
690 | my | ||
691 | body | ||
692 | wants | ||
693 | to | ||
694 | say | ||
695 | to | ||
696 | your | ||
697 | body | ||
698 | giraffes | ||
699 | are | ||
700 | this | ||
701 | desire | ||
702 | in | ||
703 | the | ||
704 | dark | ||
705 | this | ||
706 | is | ||
707 | my | ||
708 | favorite | ||
709 | part | ||
710 | of | ||
711 | the | ||
712 | poem | ||
713 | and | ||
714 | i | ||
715 | think | ||
716 | it's | ||
717 | because | ||
718 | gilbert | ||
719 | like | ||
720 | hass | ||
721 | reaches | ||
722 | for | ||
723 | the | ||
724 | specific | ||
725 | in | ||
726 | the | ||
727 | general | ||
728 | he | ||
729 | brings | ||
730 | huge | ||
731 | ideas | ||
732 | like | ||
733 | the | ||
734 | lord | ||
735 | or | ||
736 | love | ||
737 | or | ||
738 | joy | ||
739 | into | ||
740 | the | ||
741 | specific | ||
742 | images | ||
743 | of | ||
744 | salt | ||
745 | copper | ||
746 | or | ||
747 | honey | ||
748 | or | ||
749 | like | ||
750 | he | ||
751 | says | ||
752 | at | ||
753 | the | ||
754 | end | ||
755 | of | ||
756 | his | ||
757 | poem | ||
758 | what | ||
759 | we | ||
760 | feel | ||
761 | most | ||
762 | has | ||
763 | / | ||
764 | no | ||
765 | name | ||
766 | but | ||
767 | amber | ||
768 | archers | ||
769 | cinnamon | ||
770 | horses | ||
771 | and | ||
772 | birds | ||
773 | this | ||
774 | ultimately | ||
775 | is | ||
776 | what | ||
777 | keats | ||
778 | was | ||
779 | getting | ||
780 | at | ||
781 | and | ||
782 | hugo | ||
783 | too | ||
784 | that | ||
785 | the | ||
786 | real | ||
787 | subject | ||
788 | of | ||
789 | any | ||
790 | poetry | ||
791 | is | ||
792 | not | ||
793 | capturable | ||
794 | in | ||
795 | the | ||
796 | words | ||
797 | of | ||
798 | the | ||
799 | poem | ||
800 | but | ||
801 | that | ||
802 | rather | ||
803 | a | ||
804 | poem | ||
805 | speaks | ||
806 | around | ||
807 | its | ||
808 | subject | ||
809 | to | ||
810 | be | ||
811 | honest | ||
812 | all | ||
813 | art | ||
814 | may | ||
815 | do | ||
816 | this | ||
817 | what | ||
818 | sets | ||
819 | a | ||
820 | poem | ||
821 | apart | ||
822 | is | ||
823 | its | ||
824 | honesty | ||
825 | about | ||
826 | that | ||
827 | fact | ||