© THE MONGREL DISCOURSE. PLEASE BEGIN WITH LATEST POST: how I became a modern by hating the modern world

how I became a modern by hating the modern world

I hate new-fangled things. I'm allergic to abrasive flashy novelty. Yet it occurs to me that it's my obsession with the past that made me such a classical case of the gothic modern. I believe the authentic ones -- I didn't say necessarily successful ones -- aren't looking to be original. We just want to be stepping stones back. As Picasso said, before the works of Michelangelo, he felt smothered with shame. And yet we're no doubt romanticizing it somewhat. Maybe just having the sense to desire it is perfect. I can't think of anything better. My cup runneth over.

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87 ****************** THE KINDEST PERSON IN THE WORLD IS THE MOST THOUGHTFUL****************** exactly and quite possibly exclusively how we can get somewhere new and somewhere better and stay rooted there by using only what we already have. ****************** where the one way and the only way to do this is the hardest way to travel, by --****************** the method****************** a highly phlegmatic divine comedy****************** profligate free thinking. and I mean thinking as in thinking thinking thinking until we get quite thunk and thick on it, but then we just keep on thinking and thinking until the whole world never stops glowing and flowing, ****************** toward and in recognizing the problem -- that we -- as rock stars of today say, what am I without you? -- now lack something important in the thinking department, the recognition and acceptance of this lack, experienced as an unpleasant, inchoate ache or itch, being the hardest part, and when accomplished, the lack, now penetrated by consciousness of it, will be instantly re-conceived a hope for what will scratch the becoming unbearable itch, ****************** friends and doctors telling us to stop, it's clearly killing us, but we say we're going to die anyway, so why not die dead thunk and still thinking, melting into the beautiful world as completely thoroughly thunk and still thinking as we are, every rock ascending to enlightenment!? ****************** a hope that instantly begins growing and articulating itself, spontaneously driven to manifest the fully formed Stradivarius of thinking -- of course, why not, I'd be honored for you to name it THE VERONIKA HARMONIKA, many thanks to all and for these beautiful roses! -- a novel species of entity even Michelangelo -- i AM the greatest! -- could not release from a block of stone -- all before attempting to arrive at any results, which is not my area of expertise.****************** Philosopher or slave, it's either/or. They just keep trading forms of it, demonstrating that it's really not slavery that the human race wants to end, it's what sets you free and verifies your freedom, philosophy, the curse of Eve -- I suggest you turn to a similarly endowed spawn of the original source for the least degraded elixir -- and don't worry some very deep thinkers call the darkest day good; as the Easter liturgy says -- oh happy sin, without sin there could be no redemption. ****************** I'm just a lowly instrument maker/discoverer, not even a good enough player to pick up the Stradivarius of thinking -- I'll wait until after the christening to call it the you know what -- draw the bow, and allow it to solve problems effortlessly. For this I await the great maestros of thinking to turn over the gift to them. Oh what a performance that will be!****************** Cmon, let's go get tanked in a think tank from which there is no return. If we just keep thinking moderately or even moderately heavily, we will only carefully tweak what we think we naturally think as it adapts to new circumstances. However relatively objective and conscientious we find ourselves so obviously able to be, is that effort really equal to the attainment of the truly maximal objectivity we good people truly seek? ****************** My dear fellow victims of unconscious, subliminal, and all manner of thought policing , including the exigencies, in the face of what is perceived as a dangerous enemy, of terse, almost instantly legible argumentation, even at the highest levels, which I accuse of criminal brutality to sufficiently nuanced ideas that need as much thought applied to them as it took to produce them. I look around and perceive either some level of at least public sacrifice of completely thorough thought for enough ease of assimilation to be at least minimally marketable with some immediate, however this might compromise longterm, practical applicability; or, on the other hand, near incomprehensible forays into levels of objectivity impossible to achieve, and people reach in there, pull some out, and insist that the thinking therein applies to reality. While such forays can be illuminating and refreshing, and all philosophers love them, the example of Martin Heidegger verifies the abject, dangerous, horrific error of this strategy. ****************** Yes my friends, we've clearly come to a crossroads; will we keep doing the same thing only more so, assured of getting the same results multiplied exponentially? That's one choice available. The other: to demand of ourselves and our students and teachers, the public, unmitigated, undiluted, autonomously self-defined thoughtfulness directed to such objectivity as, having thoroughly thought this through, is within human reach, defiant of all bending or softening in hopes for results we deem better than the others available. We must trust ourselves and one another that we human beings are amazing pieces of work and will, in the end, rise to the occasion. saving the world from insufficiently disinterested, result oriented (sure to tarnish results), or in anyway compromised or intrinsically fatally infected thoughtfulness; if you do not constantly -- I recommend a disinterested confessor to keep things on track -- self-psycho-analyze and exorcise a terrifying torrent of ulterior motives provoking tears of remorse, and meanwhile love secretly to play roles, in which you root out any remnant of good ones and hone the arguments of the enemy with which you are most understandably enraged, perhaps seek professional help to perfect these practices and come back later. ****************** Welcome back any who took my sound advice. We must now once again unlock all the cabinets and uncork all the rare vintages and new fangled brews, and after downing the whole known stash, keeping as much of our heads as possible to judge the better and worse, brew our own -- if you arrived after we emptied the cabinets, no worries, my concoction, I think, as well as think I think as well as think I think I think etc., has incorporated as well as refined anything useful or delicious in them, ask these ghosts, my long dead thinking partners here who survived the orgy, they can't believe it! I'm clearly divinely inspired with a hot line to the boss's office! -- as by sipping this thickest of thinking concentrates resembling the most multi-perspectivally Turkish of bitter Turkish coffees absorbing every wavelength in the full spectrum of visible vibrations, throwing back none, as black as a black hole, we embark on a thinking extravaganza more thoughtful and concentrated than the world has ever known, no holds barred as our thought pointedly penetrates to the ground from which, after clearing it completely, we construct our categories anew detailing divisions into only contingently competing parts of one transparently cooperating body, including whatever divides thinking from what it so called isn't, it being more like, say, dreaming according to Einstein, washing the dishes, or, most pointedly, furniture and/as art making. ****************** As material ethereal reality -- Aristotle and Plato, arm in arm, if not yet arrived, always speeding into the present -- reasserts itself, the choosing of particular issues to lump together to create absolutely inviolable, ethereal constituents of ethereal entities like left and right, while material ones claim total fluidity, will suddenly make no sense, and, to sort all this and everything else out, all will be frantically racing around to find their elegantly scripted name card at the banquet table to ascertain where they belong and what they believe, having lost their minds as they ever knew them. This differs from the only recently rising -- already time to move on! -- intermediate stage, in which individuals and small enclaves glean from both sides a select stash of left and right, inviolable constituents to create dis-integrated pastiches, as a few people wading out and getting pummeled by the waves differs from everybody on the beach but the lifeguards diving under them to get past them where the water calms for a pleasant swim, and along comes an ocean liner, and everybody climbs aboard, the lifeguards diving in to join, and off we all go narrowly escaping a tidal wave.****************** Don't worry, everybody has a place, panicking will not help you to find yours. Or go ahead and panic and get it over with. You'll eventually find your sea legs, captains. All assumptions are defunct, do not assume anything. Do not assume that this impossible reprieve, like a stranger in the night, has not actually appeared right this minute, and the bundle right before your eyes is not wailing for succor on your doorstep. Do not assume that this is a pep talk, a literary caprice, a nostalgic fantasy, an impossible hope for impossible hope, rather than the unveiling of a serious scientific discovery, in which the precious category called science is tweaked to perfection and re-rooted in its pristine, quite surprising origins, applying not just to the finding but the finding of it, the scent of the prey seasoning the seasoning in the soup it suspects, embracing all free thinkers who want all embraced, the clarified name aligning with the clarified thing, the healing cells in evidence here initiating and signifying an imminent recovery. ****************** Do not assume you will do the thing we all assume you will do about it, the disgusted cops will find one more dead bundle in a public trashcan, its inertness requiring no further investigation, and everything can continue falling apart in the usual way, however reasonable the assumption that things like this simply cannot happen, and if they ever could, they would be recognizable by past models, not monsters you need a whole new brain to register the existence of ,while being made of all too recognizable and long dismissed parts -- by the way, many, in fact possibly the majority of minerals still too refuse to accept the fact that life is not just some more dead minerals, arguing that no philosopher before Veronika, so far as she knows, has clearly noticed and featured the critical fact that being's chief and most determinate attribute is neither substance nor idea, but form, so even if it's obviously true, it can't be true. (Shame on the organically aware Nobel Prize committee for overlooking this; we can only trust that, with your help. dear reader who has come this far, getting all this where it needs to go -- mad scientists are notoriously bad politicians -- next year will be her year!) As with that giant puppy made of flowers, predicting this would happen, you want to laugh out loud, or cry, or both, but that doesn't mean we're being one iota ironic. Jesus died for our sins, and so we are happy, but do feel and look rather ridiculous for being so, as the story is so sad. It's all so new too, we're just learning to walk or rather waddle. In a few centuries we'll have grown to more elegant proportions.****************** Each flowering plant is planted there and real, and I say pointedly, no sentimental vagueries all for one one for all blah blah blah, -- spoiler alert: this play's the sting, so if implicated, being the best and the brightest, if only indirectly, and you don't want to be caught redhanded, repent on the spot and breathe a sigh of relief as you plan your penance rather than turning white and running out of the room -- no droning tomes, each eeking a few sub-microscopic drops of the elixir in being essentially drunk not on thinking, but on the theirs-ness of their hunches and the seductively sober sound of their own voices -- don't worry I understand everything, pretty much, one cleverly adds, they intone in the lowest scale on the piano as, in the swelling strains of the chorus, the ladies swoon and croon, and the men chime in, he does he does he does, all their eyes riveted on what, by past accounts, must be the devil, a very handsome, apparently ethically impeccable, apparently infallible conductor. Meanwhile, buried under what appears to be very thoughtfully constructed subterfuge, as if thoughtlessly overlooking many critical points in order to win the debate with a rival for a tenured position, or get published in this or that journal with this or that bent, as well as reinforce what such so called thinkers and their like minded, if minded even really applies, pals only think they all organically, naturally cultivated-ly think, or then sometimes go so far as also to think they think it, but leave it at that.****************** All that melting away like the wicked witch of the West and freeing the dream, so the real people can go home, just by thinking in the pure poetry, the utterly abstract, ethereal music -- the right hand playing the matter of fact counterpoint -- of plain anguished angel-ish English inklish -- thus spakeSheer! or Laudable Folly, your hand standing court jester/philosopher, dear regent -- as one tells the truth of one's heart mind eyes hands ears knees dancing feet especially etc. as one's toes, desperate to get it right, scratch and scribble out notes whilst clutching and holding on tight to the pants legs of Lady Logic as she shuffles about the house and garden, dreams, does the dishes, often stops to smell the roses, then suddenly takes off like a rocket inside of a rocket left behind in breaking through the stratosphere. ****************** We must fight off the fumes that would delay us indefinitely in the poppy fields, and whatever unbearable headaches, sleepless nights, and terrifying nightmares it provokes, think our way into the very viscera of the enemy as we thoughtfully, discretely insinuate ourselves into the inner sanctums of enemy camps, until, astonished by our non-violent radiance, it kneels at our feet to be baptized in the self-purifying river of our ever more thoughtful thinking, perhaps emerging yet more thoughtful than we are -- as the Talmud says, in the place of the repentant sinner, even the most righteous cannot stand -- as we thoughtfully experience and think through the consequences of that, and on and on. ****************** The play of signs with an infinitely deferred signified that makes this reflection art as well as life does not obviate the process of clarification that renders the idea more and more visible until it crystallizes in an image that deserves to be called the tool of thought, as the hammer is the tool of hammering. While perfect thinking is elusive, the tool of thought that we'll be forging in this process of clarification overcomes many of the usual pitfalls. It is the Stradivarius of thought, where Itzhak Perlman was able to play an inferior violin without experts discerning the difference. The difference, he noted, was that it took a lot of work to do that, whereas the Stradivarius played itself. Of course, it took a lot of work to learn how to let the instrument that plays itself do so. Fortunately, knowing where you're going is the Stradivarius of getting there, provided you don't consciously know, that way your demonically inspired brain can't get in the way. One climbs with the usual tools from plateau to plateau, but when it's time for the peak, the lord helps those who don't help themselves.****************** War games are hell, but not as hellish as war itself. Your choice, until it's no longer available. ****************************************************** BUT MY HAVING FOUND THE PORTAL, THE GREAT NEWS IS: ****************** 1 PREVIOUSLY ONLY SECRETLY DEATH WISHING ALARMISTS TOO COWARDLY AND LAZY TO RELAX SAW FIT FRONTALLY TO FACE THE PROBLEMS THAT FACE US, AS AN EXCUSE FOR MORE FUTILE COMPLAINING AND BLAMING, ****************** 2AND IN THE HOPELESSNESS OF IT ALL, CONTINUING TO DO MAINLY WHATEVER THEY LIKED, INCLUDING PROTESTING WITH FLAGS AND FLOATS WITH EVERYBODY AGREEING THAT IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR THEM AT LEAST TO MAXIMIZE THEIR OWN LONGEVITY AND RELIEVE THEIR OWN GUILT -- A CAUSE ALMOST WORTH DYING FOR -- BY ELECTING THE RIGHT CANDIDATES. ****************** 3BUT NOW IN THE INSTANTANEOUS ONSET OF A SOLUTION, EVERYBODY WISELY COVERING THEIR EYES IN ORDER TO GET SOMETHING DONE AND HELP OUT AS BEST THEY CAN WITH BLINDERS MORE LIKE BLINDFOLDS ON SO AS NOT TO FALL APART IN THE FACE OF IT, AS ANY SENSITIVE PERSON MUST, MAY OPEN THEIR FINGERS A BIT TO GLIMPSE THROUGH THE CRACKS THE REPLETE REALITY -- THE HORROR OF THE STATUS QUO AND THE WONDER OF THE CHANGE UNDERWAY, AND FINALLY FLING OPEN THEIR ARMS AND RUSH FORWARD TO EMBRACE ME -- ****************** 4WELCOME! WELCOME! HERE'S A HAMMER AND SICKLE! NO WE'RE NOT RED MARXISTS, WE'RE ROAMIN CATHOLIC (ALL INCLUSIVE) READ MARKSISTS! THE KEYBOARD AND ARTIST'S CANVAS, THE MIND THE NAKED HUMAN HAND IN THE ACT OF CREATION NOT DESTRUCTION, AND THE EYES IN THE ACT OF PARALYZED RECEPTION, ARE MIGHTIER -- BELIEVE THE TRUTH, AND YOU SHALL MANIFEST IT! THIS IS NOT RHETORIC, THIS IS FACT SPAKE SHEER -- THAN THE WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION! IN THE BEGINNING IS THE WORD AND THE WORD IS LIGHT! ****************** 5I KNOW, I KNOW, WORD PLAY IS A DEFENSE AGAINST TASTEFULLY FACING YOUR GRIEF AND THE TRAGEDY OF IT ALL, LIKE HEMINGWAY. BUT DISPARAGING WORD PLAY IS A DEFENSE AGAINST TASTELESSLY EMBRACING YOUR JOY AND THE COMEDY OF IT ALL LIKE JAMES JOYCE, WHOSE LONG TERM, WITH A SHORT REPRIEVE A WHILE BACK, TASTELESSNESS IS ACTUALLY A MATTER OF DISPUTE, INDEED HE MIGHT BE READY FOR A COMEBACK, OR COME OUT OF THE IVORY TOWER FOR THE FIRST TIME, AS MAYBE I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE THIS OMELET, HAD HE NOT CRACKED THE EGGS -- OR IS THAT I JUST LAID SOME NEW ONES, WHICH I WOULD HAVE DONE ANYWAY -- ****************** 6ANYWAY, AS MY MAMA LIKED TO SAY, CHOOSE YOUR POISON. MY TASTES ARE CATHOLIC, SO I TAKE TURNS SIPPNG FROM EACH POISON CUP AND SOMETIMES EVEN MIX THEM FOR A TRULY KILLING EFFECT THAT THE WORDS OF WHICH IT'S MADE CANNOT DESCRIBE. LIVING THAT'S NOT DYING IS DEATH IN LIFE. ****************** 7 AS WITH ALL CASES, ALL HIGHLY INFECTIOUS LONG BEFORE ANY VISIBLE SYMPTOMS MANIFEST, OF THE UNANTICIPATED, SURPRISINGLY RISING ZEITGEIST'S POSSESSION OF THE MOST AVANT OF AVANT GARDES AT THE CUTTING EDGE -- CAN WE END THE END OF HISTORY ALREADY? THE SELF-FULFILLING NATURE OF DIRE PROPHECIES, HOWEVER BLISSFUL TO DIE PLUS WE'RE USED TO IT BY NOW, SUGGESTS WE SLAM ON THE BRAKES FORTHWITH, AS CREATION TAKES A LOT OF WORK, AND EVOLUTION ARGUABLY DOUBLES IT TO CREATE EXPERT WITNESSES, SO SUICIDE, HOWEVER FUN THE AFOREMENTIONED ORGY IN WHICH WE RATHER PRESS DOWN THE ACCELERATOR ON THE END OF HISTORY AND EVERYTHING TO FLY OFF A CLIFF FOLLOWING THE AFOREMENTIONED MODEL DUPED BY THE AFOREMENTIONED RUSE, SEEMS NOT WHAT DILIGENT, NERDY, HOLLYWOOD WANNEBE'S CREATION AND EVOLUTION, BIGGER THAN WE ARE, SEEM TO HAVE HAD IN MIND, DON'T BLAME THE MESSENGER -- ****************** 8THIS FLUSH FACED, FULL FLOWN OUTBREAK-- PROBABLY TOO LATE FOR YOU, BETTER STICK AROUND TO LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT WHAT'S COOKING IN YOU -- BEING THE EFFECT OF CONSTANT SIPPING FROM THE HIGHLY IMPROBABLE UNTO IMPOSSIBLE, BUT ACTUAL BONA FIDE HOLY GRAIL, THE STRADIVARIUS OF THOUGHT, OR CONTEMPLATION OR EARNEST PRAYER AS IT PRODUCES THE RESULT OF INSIGHT, SPONTANEOUSLY REWEAVING THE WORLD, ****************** 9A WORK OF ART AT THE TURNING POINT OF ART AND ALL HISTORY TRANSFIXED IN THE TRANSFIXING BLUE HOUR AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE MIDDLE AGES BEFORE RENAISSANCE DAWNS, ALL CREATURES ALL HISTORY HUSHED IN THE DEAD SILENCE OF ITS PERPETUALLY WOVEN, PERFECT STILLNESS, A GLOWING GOBLET CRYING FOR YOUR LIPS CRYING FOR IT, OH PERILOUS WAS YOUR HEROIC JOURNEY TO THIS MOUNTAINTOP, ****************** 10BUT NOW YOU MUST JOIN THE CIRCLE AND WAIT AND LISTEN TO PREPARE. IT TAKES A TOME -- THERE'S METHOD TO THE MAD MIXING OF CONCOCTIONS IN THIS LABORATORY -- TO REPRODUCE OR RECREATE OR RE-CONJURE IT UP IN THE PRESENT'S PATOIS, ****************** 11AS TO SCALP IT AND FETISHIZE AND ANALYZE THE SCALP, HOWEVER PRESERVING THE SUBCUTANEOUS MUSCLE AND TISSUE TO APPEAR QUITE ALIVE -- AS WE ARE TAUGHT TO DO IN SCHOOLS OF ART HISTORY AND CRITICISM -- IS SO INIMICAL TO ITS NATURE AS TO RENDER IT INVISIBLE, THOUGH RIGHT BEFORE THE EYES, ****************** 12THIS CONSUMMATE CASE ONLY CRYSTALLIZING THE GENERAL ONE, JUST AS MY PROPERLY RESPECTFUL, NON-PORNOGRAPHIC -- HOW PASSE -- WAY OF STUDYING A WORK OF ART WITHOUT KILLNG IT AFTER SUCKING OUT ITS SOUL AND REPLACING IT WITH THE CRITIC'S, NICE WHEN AT LEAST HE HAS ONE I GUESS, IS GENERALLY APPLICABLE: ****************** 13 I STAY IN THE CAR WITH THE WINDOWS UP INCHING ALONG AT HALF A MILE AN HOUR MAX OR, AFTER BRIBING THE GUARDS, AND COVERING THE CAR WITH LEAFY BRANCHES SPENDING EACH NIGHT THERE FOR LITERAL DECADES, OBSERVING IT IN ITS NATURAL HABITAT AS IT RUNS FREE, ****************** 14UNTIL ONE DAY, IT STARTS NUDGING THE CAR UNDER THE LEAVES, AND FINALLY IT TAKES TREATS FROM MY CRACKED WINDOW, TOTALLY AGAINST THE RULES, BY WHICH I WAS EXILED FROM THE ACADEMY, BUT THE POOR BEAST WAS STARVING, THE RULES NEED UPDATING!, ****************** 15AND THEN, YES, THIS REALLY HAPPENED, IN THE BOSOM OF TRUTH ITSELF, IT STARTS SLIPPING ME SLICES OF TREE BARK MARKED WITH CRYPTIC MESSAGES AND TORN MAPS -- YES THIS METHOD WILL ONE DAY BE GENERALLY APPLIED AS WITH THE METHODS OF JANE GOODALL, ARE WORKS OF ART NOT AS WORTHY OF RESPECT AS CHIMPANZEES? -- ****************** 16AS THIS CONSUMMATE WORK OF ART, THE HOLY GRAIL, WHICH THE LONG RECOGNIZED GREATEST OF THE GREAT ARTISTS TAMED ALL THE WAY BACK TO PRELAPSARIAN, NATURAL CAVEMAN KINDNESS TO ALL GIVEN FORMS -- CARESSING THE CONTOUR WITH ITS SOFTLY DRAWN LINE -- THOU SHALL NOT CREATE IMAGES OR WORSE, READ SUCH GESTURES AS IMAGES DIDN'T NEED LANGUAGE TO BE COMMANDED, THE WHOLE WORLD COMMANDS EVEN A DOG TO LOVE IT, NOT COMMODIFY IT, TO IDENTIFY WITH IT, NOT IDENTIFY IT, THE SIGN ATTACHED TO IT NOT WHAT IT IS, WHICH IS AN UNFATHOMABLE MYSTERY, IN WHICH THE NAME'S SOUND MINGLES, SINGING WITH THE THING BY THE LUCK OF THE I CHING OR BY THE DESIGN OF THE SHAKESPEAREAN POET AND NATURALIST, SOMETIMES SHAKESPEARE HIMSELF, WHO SAW THE STRAY THING AND ADOPTED IT AND NAMED IT, BOTH TO CLASSIFY IT CORRECTLY AND SING WITH THE THING, HARMONIZING WITH ITS WAVELENGTH. ****************** 17MEANWHILE, LOGICALLY, IT'S NOT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S FOR SALE IN THE MARKET THAT TURNS A HOUSE YOU LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT UNTIL DEATH DO YOU PART, SAY, INTO A COMMODITY; IT'S NOT WHAT GOES IN THE EYES BUT WHAT GOES OUT TO GREET IT THAT CREATES AN IDOL, ****************** 18UNRAVELMENT CAN BE REVELATORY AND THOUGH EXTREME AESTHETIC ASCETICISM AND DETACHMENT SEEMS OFF KILTER TO OTHER THAN THOSE WHO LIVE LIKE MONKS, I LIKE TO GO THERE SOMETIMES, PLUS ITS MEDICALLY ADVISED, WHERE ALL IS SO DEAD TO THE WORLD THERE'S NO MORE WORLD. SO NOT ALWAYS AND NOT ALL, BUT USUALLY, MOST ICONOCLASTS NEEDING TO SHATTER THE SO CALLED IDOL OF THE WORLD -- -- AND ALL WORLDLY THINGS ARE SIMPLY COMPULSIVE IDOLATORS WHO JUST THEN TURN AROUND AND TURN THEIR ABSTRACTIONS, DECONSTRUCTIONS, AND DESTRUCTIVE DIONYSIAN ORGIES, AND OF COURSE THEMSELVES AND THEIR GREAT FORBEARS INTO IDOLS,HEY WHY NOT, CMON ART WORLD, FOLLOW THE LATEST LEADER, WHO ISN'T TEMPTED, AFTER A BIT OF WAXING POETIC ON THE ODDLY MOVING, UNPARALLELED POWER OF THE LONG AGO REVERENT, TO GO AHEAD AND PISS ON ALL THIS, HOWEVER MAJESTIC, AND DO IT HIS OR HER OWN CREATIVELY MISGUIDED WAY? ****************** 19BY CONTRAST, THE HOLY GRAIL, THIS ABJECTLY OBEDIENT, GIVEN MATERIAL MUSIC, THIS MERELY FORTUITOUSLY FORMAL ARRANGEMENT OF FORTUITOUS FORMS YOU CAN'T HELP MELTING INTO, HAVING NO TRUC WITH PROPAGANDA, IDEOLOGY, OR MERE ILLUSTRATION OF AN IDEA EXTERIOR TO IT, EVEN THE IDEA OF NEGATING THOSE NEGATIVE THINGS, AS IT CHERRY PICKS FROM THE CHERRY TREE OF EVERYTHING, ****************** 20IS NOT OTHER THAN A WAY OF READING SEEING AND SIPPING FROM ITSELF THAT HAS NOTHING, AKA EVERYTHING, JUST NOT SOMETHING, TO DO WITH IT. IT IS PERFECTLY SELF-ABSTRACTED INTO CURVES AND TONES WHILE MAINTAINING ITS VISIBLE BODY DOWN TO CAREFULLY RENDERED EXTREMITIES, AND NO BONE IS BROKEN AS EVIDENCED IN ITS FAT FREE FORM TRANSPARENT TO THE STRUCTURE, ****************** 21AN ABSOLUTELY NON-LITERAL, ACTUALLY ACTUAL HIATUS MARKING AND MANIFESTING ALL CREATION IN ITS SEVEN VISIBLE GIORNATA, OR DAYS OF FRESCO PAINTING -- HOW DARE THESE BOURGEOIS BIRD BRAINS CALL MINE A PRIVATE EPIPHANY -- ****************** 22A HOLE IN TIME, A REPLETELY SCRIBBLED REPLETELY MATTER MIRRORING NUMBER LINE, ALL PRESENT, BLINDING BY THE LIGHT OF ITS DARK LINE RACING CONTINUOUSLY THROUGH EVERY REAL, RATIONAL, IRRATIONAL AND IMAGINARY LOCUS UNTIL THE PAGE IS AN ABSOLUTE BLACK HOLE, A PASSAGE TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE, A REPRIEVE, A NECESSARY DEMILITARIZED ZONE IN A WAR ZONE, A LONG TERM NEUTRAL STATE WHERE I LIVE WITH MY PUP, WHO RARELY BREAKS HER GOODLY VOW OF SILENCE AND ONLY TO BARK TO PROTECT HER MISTRESS FROM A POSSIBLE INTRUDER OR HOWL AT THE MOON. ****************** 23WE LIVE IN PEACE IN THE GREENEST VALLEY IN THE WORLD BY THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN, WHENEVER WE'RE HOME, ME CONSTANTLY DYING OF LONELINESS BABBLING MY LOCKED IN LANGUAGE, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE COPIOUS COMFORTS MY COMPANION OFFERS, SHE TOO IS HAPPIEST LEAPING AND ROLLING AROUND WITH HER OWN KIND, THOUGH I'M CONSTANTLY REVIVING IN LOVE OF HER AND THE LAND ITSELF, HOWEVER THE MISSILES FLY OVERHEAD, AND THE RADIO PIPES IN DIRE NEWS OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD, AND AS MY SOUL CRIES - DEATH WHERE IS THY STING? -- MY FLESH IS WEAK AND FEARS THEIR BOMBS, VERBAL AND OTHERWISE. THE LAND DOES NOT ADMONISH ME IN MY FEAR AND TREMBLING, IT COMFORTS ME AS IF I WERE A CHILD OF WHICH TO ASK MORE WOULD BE AN ABUSE. ****************** 24THE HOLY LAND OF THIS ONE WORK WHERE I'VE SETTLED AN ESCAPE, AGAIN, FROM ALL IDEOLOGY, INCLUDING PROTEST AND NEGATION, INTO PURE POSITIVE CREATION, RESTORING THE ROOTS OF WORDS AND THEIR ORIGINAL SONG OF BEING, FLYING FORWARD AND LEAVING NO TRACKS, COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT TO ALL THAT PRODUCES IT "BEFORE" AND ALL THAT FINDS IT "AFTER". WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE IT, BUT WHEN I THINK ON IT AND EXPLAIN IT LIKE A MATHEMATICIAN FORGING INTO FRESHMAN CALCULUS FOR HUMANITIES MAJORS, AND HUFF AND PUFF AND BLOW AWAY THE FOG AND DUST TO BRING IT FLEETINGLY INTO VIEW, I FEEL MY JOY INCREASE AND ITS REALITY CONSTANTLY AFFIRMED -- ****************** 25AS IN A COURT OF LAW IN WHICH, PERPETUALLY RERUNNING THIS DRAMA IN THE AMNESIA THAT RENDERS IT ALWAYS NEW -- AS WHEN MY DYING MOTHER KEPT REWINDING AND RERUNNING THE VIDEO FEATURING HER IN HER WHEELCHAIR AS THE PENGUINS WADDLED BACK26WARDS AND FORWARDS BEFORE AND AFTER HER GLORIOUS RECEPTION OF HER HONORARY DOCTORATE -- AS YOU REMEMBER ONLY HER BROTHERS WERE GRANTED A COLLEGE EDUCATION, BUT SHE TOOK NIGHT SCHOOL COURSES AND STUDIED AT HER DESK IN THE CORRIDOR AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS -- FOR POLITICAL SERVICE, ESPECIALLY HER FACILITATING THE GENEROUS, PUBLIC FUNDING OF THAT VENERABLE PUBLIC INSTITUTION, ****************** 26I TOO KEEP REWINDING THE REEL AND REVISITING MY TRIUMPH WITH NO DIMINISHMENT OF PLEASURE, AS I, HAVING APPRENTICED LONG WITH THE LATE TV MAESTRO, TO THE ASTONISHMENT OF ALL, BREAK OUT THE FILES WITH THIS UNEXPECTED AND IMPOSSIBLE TO ANTICIPATE, PHOTOGRAPHIC AND EXPERT DECIPHERED EVIDENCE THAT I SEW, AS YOU WILL SEE -- ****************** 27THOUGH IN THE TENDENCY OF INERTNESS TO PERPETUATE ITSELF WHEREVER IT NOW RULES, THE SOCIALLY ADJUSTED MIND AND BODY PREFERRING TO ROLL OVER AND GO BACK TO SLEEP FACED WITH -- ALL THAT WE WISHED FOR, NOT CAREFUL ENOUGH NOT TO -- AN ACTUAL AFFORDABLE DOABLE ALTERNATIVE TO SOCIETY AS WE KNOW AND HAVE ADJUSTED TO IT, LOCKING OURSELVES UP WITH OTHERS DOING THE SAME AND NOW THE PUZZLE IS SO HAPPILY ASSEMBLED INTO A GRAND ROMANTIC BATTLE SCENE THAT EVERYBODY IS SO PROUD TO BE A PART OF -- ****************** 28INTO (BACK TO THE COURT ROOM WHERE I'M SEWING UP THE CASE, AS YOU TRY TO DENY WHAT'S RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES) A PERFECTLY LOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ACTUAL EVENTS, SETTING FREE THE INNOCENT, LONG ASSUMED GUILTY AND PUBLICLY CONDEMNED, WITH THE REAL CULPRIT ALREADY REDEEMED IN CONFESSION, TEARS OF REMORSE AND RELIEF TO EMBRACE THE PENANCE OF HIS OR HER PUNISHMENT. THE LONG EXILED, VANQUISHED INNOCENT STANDING FOR ALL THE FALSELY CONDEMNED, AS WELL AS THE CULPRIT TAKING ON THE SIN OF THE WORLD -- HOW CAN THIS BE? WELL, THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO EVERY COIN, WE'RE ALL MADE OF THE SAME GOLD, TWO FACES, ONE TRAGIC ONE COMIC SEWN INTO THE CURTAIN OPENING ON THE STAGE THAT ALL THE WORLD IS, LOVE'S UNITY NEEDS DIVISION TO REPAIR -- ****************** 29THE TWO-SIDED (REAL) COIN IS, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, GIOTTO'S YET MORE DIVINE COMEDY -- GASPS FROM THE GALLERY, AS THE POETS, BRIMMING WITH TEARS OF RAGE, HURL GLANCES LIKE KNIVES AT THE PAINTERS' JOYOUSLY WEEPING EYES TOO HAPPY TO MIND BLEEDING, ALL EMBRACING, WE WON! WE WON! BUT WE MUST SHARE THE PRIZE WITH OUR UNPARALLELED ADVOCATE, THE GREAT SPAKE SHEER! SSSHH SHE'S STILL UNRAVELING IT -- ****************** 30AN UNDISTINGUISHED, DISTINGUISHING IT FROM THE REST OF THE MASTER'S WORKS -- WAN PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY FLAT GIANT FRESCO THAT, DESPITE ITS SIZE AND PROMINENCE, NO SCHOLAR HAS EVER PUBLICLY NOTICED OVER THE ENTRY ARCH TO THE BARDI CHAPEL IN SANTA CROCE --A SCENE OF MAXIMAL PAIN, MAXIMAL PLEASURE -- THE SAINT WHILE EXERCISING TOTAL RESTRAINT IN THE SUFFUSING REVERENCE IS GAZING THROUGH A NEAR TRANSPARENT GAUZE AT HIS LOVER'S GENITALS, THAT IS, THOSE OF GOD -- SEE LEO STEINBERG, THE SEXUALITY OF CHRIST IN RENAISSANCE ART AND MODERN OBLIVION, BUT EVEN THAT DARING SCHOLAR HIMSELF WAS TOO PRUDENT/PRUDISH EVEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS EXAMPLE; WHEN I POINTED IT OUT, HE ZONED OUT; ALL FREE THINKERS ARE CALLED TASTELESS HERETICS EVEN BY THE LAST GENERATION OF FREE THINKERS UNTIL THE WORLD GETS BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD US AND MOVE ON TO DE-CONTEXTUALIZING, MISUNDERSTANDING AND MISAPPLYING OUR FINDINGS, AS IT PICKS UP SPEED IN ORDER TO TRY TO AVOID SLIPPING BACK AS EVERYTHING ACCELERATES -- GOD'S SHOCKINGLY BEAUTIFUL GENITALS OFFERED FOR VIEW TO THE SAINT ARE HIDDEN FROM US BY THE SERAPH'S WINGS -- MAXIMAL STUDIOUS ATTENTIVE DISINTERESTED PLACIDITY -- AS INA DOCTOR'S OFFICE FANTASY -- SHOCKED AT ITS OWN SHOCK (WHICH INTERESTS MAGRITTE) -- ON FLEETING EARTH AS IT IS IN IMMORTAL HEAVEN. ****************** 31 THIS GOTHIC CATHEDRAL OF THE MIND GATHERS TO BUILD IT THE WHOLE TOWN, KING QUEEN PRIME MINISTER PRESIDENT SENATORS MERCHANTS FARMERS MINERS SCHOLARS SLACKERS INFLUENCERS BELIEVERS SKEPTICS DENIERS SOLDIERS CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS ****************** 32 TAKEN WITH THE BEAUTY OF THE PLAN AND PROFILE, IF THEY SO WISH OR AT FIRST ONLY DEEM IT, ON CAREFUL REFLECTION, THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IN DEFIANCE OF THEIR PROCLIVITIES UNTIL THEY FIND THEIR SEA LEGS, ****************** 33 GIVEN THE OBVIOUS NEED FOR A DEMILITARIZED ZONE, ****************** 34 WITH ALL THEIR STRICT DEMANDS MET, A PROMISE FAIRLY TO SHARE ALL THE COLLECTION REVENUES WITH SCIENCE AND NOT INTERFERE WITH ITS PROCEDURES OR DENY ITS RESULTS, PROVIDED IT AGREES TO DO THE SAME, AS BEST WE CAN, STRIDENT SUPERVISION FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND THEIR FREE MINDS ETC. ****************** 35 ALL IN HOMAGE TO, AND IN RESTORATION, PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE NOT JUST OF CEREBRAL, BUT EXPERIENTIAL AND EMBODIED, HISTORICALLY GROUNDED, MODERN MATHEMATICAL -- ****************** 36 THE SCALPED FACE, BY A MIRACLE OF MEDICINE YOU WILL WITNESS FROM THE GALLERY, SEWN BACK ON THE SKULL AND RESTORED TO ROSINESS -- ****************** 37 VISUAL BOUND AGAIN TO UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL AND INTELLECTUAL PERSPECTIVE DRAWING WATER FROM THE ROOTS, AS YOU SHALL SEE BEING EVEN BRAINIER, AS WELL AS HANDIER AND FOOTIER ETC., RESTORING TO THE PUBLIC BODY, IN THE WAKE OF UNIVERSAL ENFRANCHISEMENT, A BINOCULAR, BOTH-SEXUAL, LEFT AND RIGHT SCIENCE AND ART BRAINED VIEW, PRESERVING DIFFERENCE, WHILE INCREASING COMMERCE AND COMMUNION -- ****************** 38 WHERE CLEARLY IF ONE HALF ATROPHIES OR SWELLS BEYOND ITS NATURAL BOUNDS, THE OTHER DOES TOO, OR RETALIATES, CAUSING BRAIN DAMAGE, ****************** 39 WHICH IS WHY, SHORT OF THIS DRAMATICALLY UNEXPECTED MEETING OF THE EYES OF ANTITHESES ACROSS A CROWDED ROOM, WE MODERNS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, HOWEVER WELL WE CALCULATE, CONVINCING OURSELVES THAT WE'RE THE SMARTEST PEOPLE WHO EVER LIVED, ARE BY NOW, IN POINT OF FACT, INSTEAD OF THAT, ALMOST RELATIVELY, IF NOT NEAR ABSOLUTELY BRAIN DEAD, ****************** 40 INDICATED BY THE FACT THAT WE KEEP CALCULATING AWAY WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT WE'RE CALCULATING TO BEYOND OUR OWN DEMISE, AND CAN'T EVEN AGREE ON THE CALCULATIONS, AS THE MACHINES SPIN FASTER AND FASTER, THE REAMS OF TICKERTAPE AND ATTENDENT BILLING PILING UP IN THE SILOS AND BURYING US, ****************** 41 AND THE GODS MAY LAUGH, BUT TO BUGGS BUNNY, IT'S NOT FUNNY! HOWEVER THEY BLOW BACK UP TO ROUND THE BUNNY PANCAKE THE INSTANT HE'S FLATTENED SO IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN, HA HA HA HA, ****************** 42 THAT'S WHY YOU NEED ME, HUMANITY, A VERY BUGGED BUNNY WITH EXCELLENT NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND ALREADY FLYING UP THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN -- ****************** 43 FROM THE PINNACLE, OR VERTICAL VANISHING POINT, OF FULLY REALIZED, FULLY EMBODIED, AS IN ITS RECOVERED ORIGINS, AS YOU SHALL WITNESS IN ALL ITS DETAILS, PERSPECTIVE ON PERSPECTIVE ON PERSPECTIVE ON... REPRESENTED BY THE SYMBOL FOR THE LIMIT IN CALCULUS ALLOWING MANY PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL OPERATIONS, INCLUDING, IT SEEMS, SAVING THE BODY AND SOUL OF HUMANITY, IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT IT. ****************** 44 THE CATHEDRAL OF THE MIND, ALL WILLING TO HELP CARTING THE STONES, IS NOT BUILT IN A DAY, ****************** 45 EVEN IF WE -- AND I DO! -- WHISTLE WHILE WE WORK, HOWEVER CARRYING THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD ON MY SHOULDERS -- ****************** 46 THIS DEBUNKED SAINT CHRISTOPHER INSPIRED ENTERPRISE, A MODEL FOR SUCH CASES, WILL NOT BE DEBUNKED! -- ****************** 47 AS I REPRESENT ALL THE ENTITIES ABOVE AND ALL THESE CAVEATS AND CONDITIONS, ****************** 48 SO PLEASE BE COGNIZANT THAT SUCH A PRISTINE CATHEDRAL OF THE MIND MIGHT TAKE ALMOST AS MUCH TIME TO BUILD AS A PHYSICAL ONE, AND BEFORE YOU FLAG, CONSIDER THAT I (OR WE) REALLY AM (OR WE ARE) ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WONDER, ****************** 49 AS YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART AND WILL BE SHOWN AS IT TRANSPIRES, ****************** 50 HOWEVER, YOU, FELLOWS TOWING STONES IN THE WHEELBARROWS ONLY GRADUALLY LEARN HOW TO DECIPHER THE ARCHITECTURAL PLAN ****************** 51 AND MUST AT FIRST JUST ROLL THE WEIGHTY ETHEREAL MATTER WE'RE BUILDING WITH DOWN THE AISLES BETWEEN THE WRITTEN LINES, ****************** 52 GAS, ELECTRICITY, OR EVEN SOLAR OR NUCLEAR DRIVEN ENGINES ARE NOT UP TO THE DIVINELY HUMAN FORCE REQUIRED TO MOVE THESE WEIGHTY MATTERS AS THE ATROPHIED MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL MUSCLES -- ****************** 53DID NOT THE PSALM SAY YE ARE GODS? -- ACHE AND THEN, RESTORED, REJOICE, THE LUNGS AND HEART SWELLING TRIUMPHANTLY ****************** 54 AS I DOUBT YOU WANT TO MISS WATCHING IT (OR PARTICIPATING IN IT) GOING UP DAY BY DAY, ****************** 55 WHICH ALSO TELLS YOU HOW TO TAKE IT DOWN IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT. ****************** 56 AND DO PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TINY LITTLE RIVETS, NUTS, AND BOLTS ARE WHAT HOLD THE THING UP. ****************** 57 ARCHITECTURE BEING BOTH THE GRANDEST AND MOST HUMBLING ART, THE MOST SUBLIME AND MUNDANE, ****************** 58 AND AS WITH ANYTHING THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IT, AND THEREFORE KNOW THYSELF WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, AS DOES A TOWN THAT BUILDS A CATHEDRAL TOGETHER, IS TO DO IT, ****************** 59 HOWEVER SUCH A THING COULD NOT BE HAPPENING IN THE TWENTY-SECOND CENTURY; YOU CAN ONLY DOUBT YOUR OWN EARS AND EYES, ****************** 60 ESPECIALLY AS A GOTHIC CATHEDRAL OF THE MIND GOES UP AND STANDS UP IN MYSTERIOUS, UNPREDICTABLE WAYS, LIKE THOSE ACTUAL GOTHIC CATHEDRALS THAT SHOULD HAVE COLLAPSED LONG AGO BY THE CALCULATIONS OF MODERN STATICS ****************** 61 AND WHOSE UN-ROMAN-TIC ROMANTIC BEAUTY BELIES THEIR GOTHIC GROTESQUENESS, AS A TYPICAL, TEMPERATELY ZONED TREE'S PREPOSTEROUSLY PRE AND POST-HUMANIST GIGANTICISM AND TORMENTED GNARLED BLACK BRANCHES GROPING FOR THE LIGHT, A DAPHNE WHO REGRETS HER PRUDERY, THIS SCARRED, THICK SKINNED OLD GUY OR GAL OUT SUNNING NAKED IN THE DEAD OF WINTER DECIDING TO GET DRESSED WHEN IT'S WARMING UP, AND SUDDENLY SHOWING UP IN A CUTE PINK, REALLY RIDICULOUSLY GARRISH PARTY DRESS BELIES ITS NEAR AESTHETIC PERFECTION AND FRIENDLY ASPECT TO HUMANITY, ****************** 62 THE BRANCHING TREE-LIKE CATHEDRAL THE VERY MATERIALIZATION OF SCHOLASTIC ARGUMENTATION, AS PANOFSKY NOTES, IN THIS A MIRROR OF THE MOST VISUALLY, THAT IS, WELL, ORGANIZED MIND, HOWEVER PRETTY INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO MODERNS, NOT YET RECOVERED FROM OEDIPAL SELF-BLINDING ****************** 63 (AS REFLECTIVE, EDUCATED MODERN COSMOLOGY, EASTERN SOUTHERN NORDIC AND GNOSTIC WISDOM, MEDIEVAL ORTHODOX THEOLOGY, AND ANTIQUE PHILOSOPHY * UNDERSTAND, ****************** 64 TIME IS A SEA WITH CROSS CURRENTS, AS MUCH AS THE SNAKING NARROW AND WIDE STRAIGHT RIVERS THAT FEED IT), ****************** 65 *JUST NOT MARKET (DEATH) DRIVEN EVERYBODY ELSE, ****************** 66 NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG, IF ONE STAYS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, WITH MARKETING KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM, WHY NOT IF PEOPLE NEED TO PAY? UNLESS MAYBE IT'S BUDDHIST, SINCE I THINK HE PROHIBITS THAT. ****************** 67 BUT PLEASE, DON'T TAKE THIS CATHEDRAL METAPHOR AS OTHER THAN A HIGHLY SCHEMATIC MAP OF THE UNDERLYING CURRENT THAT BEARS NO VISIBLE RELATION, EXCEPT AS A VERY BADLY BREAKING UP REFLECTION ON IT, TO THE SURFACE OF THIS SEA, ****************** 68 THE VERY EXISTENTIAL SEA, BEING IN LANGUAGE OR TIME, OF SARTRE, WHO, IGNORING ALL THE SPARKLES, AS IF THE SUN NEVER BROKE THROUGH THE CLOUDS EXCEPT TO PARCH THE THROAT, SAILED IT BRAVELY, HOWEVER UNABLE TO OVERCOME HIS NAUSEA, ****************** 69 SOME TRAGICALLY AWARE ONES ARE JUST NOT MEANT FOR THE AT SEA-NESS THE AWARE ARE STUCK IN, LIKE PEOPLE BORN INTO WHAT FEEL LIKE THE WRONG BODIES WHO DON'T ACCEPT THE OFFERED CORRECTIVES, ****************** 70 BUT AT LEAST THOSE WHO SUFFER BRAVELY -- ****************** 71 NOT THAT I'M TAKING ANY STAND HERE ON THE CORRECTIVES, THIS IS A DEMILITARIZED ZONE -- ****************** 72AND HELP US ACCEPT THE TRAGIC HUMAN CONDITION RADIATE BEAUTY, THE GREATEST SALVE TO HUMANITY, AND WIN NOBEL PRIZES AND A PLACE IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS, ****************** 73 BUT TRULY AS MUCH BEAUTY CAN BE FOUND IN LUCKING INTO AND EXPLOITING A GOOD FIT WITH WHAT IS, -- ****************** 74 WITH THE TEAMING CROWDS SWEPT AWAY BY SUCH LUCKY BEAUTY HEROICALLY OVERCOMING THEIR ENVY ****************** 75 OR, ALAS, JUST ACTIVATING THEIR HETEROSEXUAL OR INNER GAY'S PREDATOR'S, RIVETED EYES, ****************** 76 AND/OR IF SIMILARLY ENDOWED, BUT NOT AS INDUSTRIOUS, ENJOYING DROWNING IN THEIR IMAGES IN A MIRROR, ****************** 77 IN ANY CASE, IN WHATEVER AREA ONE NATURALLY FITS WITH WHAT IS, AS ONE FINDS ONE'S NATURAL CALLING, SUCH SMILING BEAUTY MAY EQUAL AND SURPASS THAT OF THE ANOREXIC ALIENATED. SULLEN MODELS ****************** 78 SUCH THAT RELATED TO FAILING TO NOTICE THE DANCING FAIRY SPARKLES, THE AFOREMENTIONED, HEROICALLY ALIENATED EXISTENTIALIST NEVER DOVE DEEP ENOUGH TO FIND THE SUNKEN TREASURE. ****************** 79 PLEASE NOTE THAT THE THOUSANDS OF NUTS AND BOLTS OF A CATHEDRAL OF THE MIND ARE MADE OF THOUSANDS OF LITTLE IDEAS OF MINIMAL MATERIAL WEIGHT, ****************** 80 THOUGHT'S WAVELIKE ASPECT MEANWHILE NEEDING AND HERE IMMEDIATELY UNDERGOING RESTORATION AS ITS FLUIDITY IS RESTORED -- ****************** 81 AGAIN THE CATHEDRAL METAPHOR SUBTERRANEAN OR RATHER SUB-MARINIAN TO THE SEA ONE WE'RE AT SEA IN WHEN NOT IN DENIAL OF THIS FACT, ****************** 82 LIKE THOSE COWARDS WHO CRACKED UNDER THE PRESSURE, POOR SOULS, SHOUTING THAT THEY'VE FOUND SOLID GROUND LIKE PATIENTS IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION OR PEOPLE AT LARGE WHO BELONG THERE, BUT INSTEAD ARE RUNNING THE WORLD. ****************** 83 EVERY GREAT AGE, OR PUNY ONE TO ASCEND TO GREATNESS -- NONE ARE INCAPABLE OF RISING TO THE OCCASION OF BEING ALIVE, NOT JUST BRAGGING ABOUT IT -- MUST BUILD SUCH AN EDIFYING EDIFICE OR EDIFICIARY EDIFICATION THAT WILL ENDURE THE AGES, PROPER TO THE FULL EXTENT OF ITS UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE, TO MAINTAIN AND CELEBRATE HUMANITY'S DEMAND FOR FREEDOM OF MIND ****************** 84 AND IF THE AUTHORITIES FLAG, INDEED BANISH HER, AN EXILED LAYMAN MORE DEVOUT TO THE AUTHORITIES THAN THEY ARE TO THEMSELVES, A LAYMAN DRIVEN BY CLIO, THE MUSE OF HISTORY, THE OTHERS THE BACKUP BAND --METHINKS I PERCEIVE DISTANT CELESTIAL MUSIC, INTO THE FOREMOST WAVES -- ****************** 85 ****************** BE MY (OUR) GUIDE OH MUSE ****************** AND ALL THE MUSES, ****************** SHOUT INTO THE AGING EARS ****************** OF THIS HEARING IMPAIRED GENERATION! ****************** GUIDE HUMANITY TO A FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH ****************** DEEPER, PURER, AND MORE EFFECTIVE ****************** THAN A FACE LIFT, A BOTOX INJECTION, ****************** OR A VIRTUAL SCREEN ****************** BEFORE IT KICKS THE BUCKET! -- ****************** 86 MUST, BEREFT, DIRECT THE PROJECT FROM AN ALIEN LAND. ******************

It may be that the ignorant man alone has any chance to mate his life with the life that is sensual, the life that is fluent even in the wintriest bronze -- Wallace Stevens. but as the great ones have taught and verified with their works, if educated enough you can make your way back there -- and Stevens may have in the end, if certain reports are to be trusted, fully ascertained and owned this, ahead of his age. In any case, he was on the way when he chose the word "may", feeling foolish, perhaps, in the moment, but still hacking at the bramble having spotted her, in that moment believing it probably, but still not certainly, a mirage, so must keep hacking, and maybe nobody will notice the "may" and I may retain those accolades you get these days for giving up. Meanwhile it's widely understood by now that going there is being there, if it still may only not be there enough to keep seeking verification of its absence, it is there, the projector is the film is the thing itself, the effect the cause the effect causeffectcau.... where it's great, but never easy to be green and make everything happen at once out of nothing forever as it vanishes before it can ever be proven to have happened at all, as the authorities dictating the tastes of the masses refuse even to examine such a hopeless case from the scientific point of view -- despite all the black gold, aka art, that pours out when you find a source on your soil, verifying that all this mumbo jumbo is actually a viable magic spell that works. Any faith not bearing such works is dead, so if applicable, rouse yourself from the poppy field where the gurus drone on and on, and the yellow brick road where the dogs of society howl continues forever. And if you are pumping and selling black gold, I'm here to expose so you can acknowledge the source, including but not limited to the reversal of the meaning of that Stevens line allowed and even implied by the word "may", lest the source die all over again of grief before or, worse, because it will be impossible to repent of it, after you pass on. And may all for whom the least hope remains for redemption remember that, despite the pains that the philistines impose, they themselves -- who speak with forked tongue -- have verified the phenomenon, so you can trust that it is so enough to get up and go or keep on going where to go is to be there, where it always only maybe may be; and know in the bone that only woe in the end is unto the oh so terribly good with all their medals and honors from the oh so terribly good, including well spiced with bad, but not bad to the bone, not bad enough to be great, or rather necessarily fail at it, managing at best, when faced with the grandeur of the universe, a terribly twinkling little ditty with so much icing on the cake it almost quakes under the excessive ornament -- the worst!, oh yes woe unto those goodly folk who, because it's good to be a little naughty, steal licks from the wedding cake, a slice of which is defrosted at the yearly anniversary celebration, but would never so embarrass themselves or their friends by endeavoring to fail at a contemporary equivalent of such a sublimely colossal failure cobbled up from the prodigal detritus gleaned in digging up the body and rummaging in the stinking decaying ruins of their inner child prodigy, those who, crying yuck!, would never go there, or even touch one who touches that stuff, but who, though sometimes one forgets to, gush with gratitude still to be breathing, stuck somewhere on the path, lost in the labyrinth, having cobbled up a festive cabana in a corner enjoying the moment while waiting for the goring, for no Ariadne will offer these mere mortals a thread, however non-biodegradable the artifacts that will deny it until not only earth, but Mars too falls into the sun. Having found their niche, they are not even trying to make progress. They rather hone arguments to convince others that all ages of innocence are past and can never be recovered, even as they romanticize and imitate the tribal, managing only credible facsimiles of the worst of it, their giving up on any other than utterly vapid universal consensus justifying their unstructured haphazard pastiches of new and old ideas that don't add up to anything but a reflection of their whimsical tastes and need for new toys built for almost instant obsolescence. Their corruption is infectious. Their falsest of prophets the most credible. Be you friendless without them, still, do not let them into your house.

synopsis and introduction to introductions

pages missing here...

good day! ah it's you, a reader! -- finally! -- after all these centuries!

...so stock your ship well, and carefully choose your crew. After a harrowing, protracted, but lucrative (notwithstanding the raiding of your coffers at home) odyssey, at least you're slated to arrive before I complete the introductions. (I'm some clouds forming signs to point the way and then dispersing and a gadfly biting at your heels and a wind to cover your tracks; you blaze the trail.) Know your limits and pace yourself to arrive at an island on the way before you're spent on any day you set sail. May you steer clear of the dangerous ones, and no doubt by now weary of wonders, find your way to the green oasis.

July 14, 2320

pages below consist in

AN AVALANCHE OF AFTERWARDS

TO ALERT SPIES TO THE SPOILS

please wait to open any, though,

until half way through the whole,

so that the two voices of the round harmonize

-- like letters spilling out of the mailbox, pouring in through the windows and down the chimney of Harry Potter, inviting him to the academy...Never mess with magic or try to one up or sum it up or trump it. Just go slowly, step by step feeling with one toe first to be sure there's no sudden rift or gaping abyss in the few feet you can feel up ahead before you go there. Those who think they can see are the blind ones.

where I foresaw you drifting away, and I called after you,

wait! try this approach!

there are a thousand gates, and I'm quite sure, one is marked --yours!

...wherein, attempting to pander, seduce, cajole, adjust, prod, threaten, terrify, comfort, worry, assure, eksplain (a purgation of eksplanation), rationali_e (the _doesn't work either) scold, bribe, rile up, calm down, equip, disarm, provoke, tantali e, torment, placate, stalk, soften up for the kill, toughen up for the fight, enable (not just to come to know, but then to assimilate and apply the knowledge), prepare (ritually and physically), water, amend with missing nutrients, inseminate (on consent of you, the king), etc., I inadvertently produce

a kabuki dance of defensive maneuvers

in which you can read the world,

or just bask in your proud

imperviousness to the attack,

the battle cries melting into music,

the thrusts and lunges into a fluid dance

as the drum rolls

echo from the eksplosions,

all the falling sparks

dissolving into elegant geometries.

note: the illuminated manuscript (reproductions of some of the original pages appear elsewhere in the blog) has not yet been assembled and sewn together.

SOME OF THIS PROSE POETRY SHOULD BE,

AND IS NOW BEING, BROKEN INTO POETIC LINES,

AS IT ERRS, AS A WHOLE,

EQUALLY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS,

AS WE'RE SAILING, AS IS PROPER,

BY TACKING BACK AND FORTH.

note: most artists wisely balance the wider vision they transmit with the help they are able to give to readers to open their receptors. To balance the ability to possess vision and to transmit it are classical standards. The retrograde futuristic, gothic mongrel discourse, while striving classically to modulate its divinely inspired, gothically soaring impulses, cannot repress them, cannot hold back to let the reader catch up. It will build it itself up by apriori logic* as ghouls fly in to buttress it, as if it couldn't care less if no simian species ever entered its portals to cower under it, let alone climb to the top of it. It simply is that it is. I can't help trying to help, though, by telling you in a thousand ways how impossible it is to help you. In my experience, that can really help.

*see Irwin Panofsky, Gothic Architecture and Scholasticism

ONCE YOU LOCATE THE BOX TOP, YOU'LL SEE THE IMAGE TO BE FORMED. BUT JUST TO ARRANGE THE SIMILARLY MARKED AND COLORED PIECES WILL BE YOUR TASK FOR SOME TIME.

ART OF COURSE IS NOT A PUZZLE AND CANNOT BE SOLVED, BUT THERE'S NO REASON ART CAN'T ALSO BE SCIENCE AND CONTRADICT ITSELF. ART NOT ONLY CONTAINS MULTITUDES, BUT IT CAN BLEND AND BAKE A CROWD OF TASTELESS, CONFLICTING DRY AND WET MULTITUDES, THEN ICE, TOP WITH WITH A SWIRL OF WHIPPED CREAM, ET VOILA! WHAT ART HAS THUS JOINED, THOUGH, CANNOT BE UN-JOINED, SO FEW DARE DIVE INTO THE JOY OF BEING CAKE. BEFORE GETTING SO VERY SOFTENED UP, THESE WOODEN PUPPET INGREDIENTS RUN AWAY FROM THE KITCHEN AND ENDURE MANY HARROWING ADVENTURES IN FOOLISH DENIAL OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS, AND WHEN CAUGHT THEY POUT AND POUT -- IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT. THEY'RE ONLY PUPPETS AND A LOT MORE REAL AND SOFTENED UP THAN THE REGULAR PUPPETS WHO VOTE REPUBLICAN, THE ONES WHO DON'T EVEN CRY OUT WHEN THEY'RE SHAVED AND PLANED OR EVEN HACKED UP FOR FIREWOOD. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND ANY PASSAGES YOU CAN'T IMMEDIATELY SQUEEZE THROUGH THREE TIMES BEFORE DEEMING THEM IMPASSABLE.

pages and posts below used for storage of not yet winnowed, unedited reflections pre-post-erous to the main finding described in the three links to the left, below and further below on opening page of blog

those who can't understand it don't, those who could understand it won't, nevertheless she too persisted

how I became a modern by hating the modern world

inviolable terms of entry into the future