Saturday, November 4, 2017

We Are Surrounded at Every Instant by Sights That Ought to Strike the Sane Unbenumbed Person Tongue-Tied, Mute with Gratitude and Terror













THE FACE

Franz Wright

Is there a single thing in nature
that can approach in mystery
the absolute uniqueness of any human face, first, then   
its transformation from childhood to old age—
 
We are surrounded at every instant   
by sights that ought to strike the sane   
unbenumbed person tongue-tied, mute   
with gratitude and terror. However,
 
there may be three sane people on earth   
at any given time: and if
you got the chance to ask them how they do it,   
they would not understand.
 
I think they might just stare at you
with the embarrassment of pity. Maybe smile
the way you do when children suddenly reveal a secret   
preoccupation with their origins, careful not to cause them shame,
 
on the contrary, to evince the great congratulating pleasure   
one feels in the presence of a superior talent and intelligence;   
or simply as one smiles to greet a friend who’s waking up,
to prove no harm awaits him, you’ve dealt with and banished all harm.



3 comments:

  1. Cheers!
    cone of silence was great schtick

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  2. As it says in my last performance evaluation, "Missed it by that much". Ed, by the way, was a surprising guy.

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    Replies
    1. Would you believe I remember there's something about Ed but not what?

      I could google it, but that would be research.

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