Not Seen as the Observer Wills.

What kind of poem ends with the letter X? Our job is simply to listen. We are all carrying a thing, and at this point in the semester we should all be sharing those things with each other. We are all to be in-formed.

max·im /ˈmaksim/
Noun: A short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct.

The poem must resist the intelligence
Almost sucessfully.

The adages are not proverbs. Proverbial truths are things that are true because they are familiar; we see them and say “how true!” Adages are things that we do not understand at first; we see them and say “how can this be true?” Proverbs answer questions, and Adages ask them.

Let's read Notes Towards a Supreme Fiction this week, shall we?

Anabasis and Katabasis have a much deeper meaning than we ever suspected...katabasis is to go down, to dismount from a horse or chariot, while anabasis is to go up or climb onto a horse or chariot. Put Vico's A New Science on your list of things to read for the summer, it will affect you quite profoundly.

We are the esoteric.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”

Once you decide what you want to do, once you are committed, things will just start falling into place. It's the Cinderella effect; these things will always come to your assistance once you decide to rely on them.

The greatest example of katabasis in literature comes from the Mahabharata. Do not think that your project will be the greatest, or that we will think it is absolutely fantastic (though it will be); the mind can never be satisfied.

A mound of earth and a heap of muck and a puddle of vomit are all one.