—after Fernando Pessoa
Heteronym,
If someone called you out
With all your hidden names,
Which one would dare to answer,
And which would take the blame?
Moderator’s comments: Readers of this blog may remember Joe Hutchison's comments on Huuklyeand Cinquor’s first offering a day ago directly below this entry and my answer back. True to form, Cinquor shot back with the above bone-chilling reply which leaves little room for evasive maneuvering by anyone, let alone the poet revealed for what he is—a skeleton in the foul rag and bone shop of the telltale heart.
CInquor's reply put me in a quandary, Vassilis. I wanted to respond but didn't know how. So, as is my wont, I consulted my I Ching (Book of Changes, Wilhelm translation). The three coins I threw directed me to hexagram 50, Ting ("The Cauldron"). There I found four lines that I am forced to interpret as the oracle's reply to Cinquor:
ReplyDeleteA ting with legs upturned
Furthers removal of stagnating stuff.
One takes a concubine for the sake of her son.
No blame.
Since I already have a son, I assume that "removal of stagnating stuff" is the crucial phrase—clearly central to Cinquor's project. I'm puzzled by the concubine, but maybe future Cinquor poems will clarify that figure.
Joe,
ReplyDeleteFor clarity's sake, let us hope that he does just that--and quickly--I'm not used to such agony.