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This one demanded a long reading for the long writing Lawrence, but repaid. Shifts not just of tone but of who presents as I, & this book is both sure of itself & just a bit insecure (as is that prince). Yeah: I like it too Doug > On Dec 2, 2015, at 10:25 AM, Patrick McManus <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > L big snap paged out I'm a clay tablet man myself nothing like good jabbings in clay or even at a pinch I can accommodate a scroll -cheers P > > -----Original Message----- From: Lawrence Upton > Sent: Wednesday, December 2, 2015 2:49 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: the bok says > > the book says > > all pages are mine > > > > but more than that, the book says > > pages take on existence within me > > > > a page outside > > is not a page > > but a sheet of paper > > > > a sheet of paper does not make a page, nor many pages a decent book > > > > it is what is written, each page, judged as a page... > > > > the content matters > > > > the book says > > keep pages tiny, hand-sized, > > light but not light-headed, > > slightly too large for the average pocket -- > > or your words and illustrations will not seem serious: > > be a nuisance and you will be heard > > > > the book says that binding and pages, > > considered as concept, content, object and participant, > > are two sides, recto and verso, of one thing, > > an eye to the world, > > a pulse in the throat, > > the subjective and its objective somehow interpenetrating -- > > > > what is a spoke without a wheel? what is a broken wheel? > > > > until there were books, continua of pages, > > writings were individual, devoid *largely* of meaning -- > > a note would come, perhaps from a great prince to a great prince, > > but would not be considered, situated as it was on a scrap of paper -- > > > > and you may make the paper as you wish! > > kill the finest strongest animals you have, > > do whatever must be done to their skin > > to make it pliable and receptive to and retentive of ink, > > make the finest ink of the richest earth, > > make the smoothest pens with which to write, > > and practice your scribes in the art of writing > > > > but what is a piece of paper to a great prince? > > > > the *words* of the message are best conveyed by human voice > > and so much more easily destroyed -- > > a tongue is no match for a knife > > and will not grow back > > > > for it seems to me that the message written is not the message > > but a copy thereof which may be thrown away and even forgotten > > but is not destroyed, > > whereas the severed tongue will be eaten by vermin, > > and the voice with which it spoke is itself a portion of the tongue, you > see? > > although now it is reduced to grunts by the power of my army – > > > > well, I am peaceful: if due credibility is given to my power in deed as in > word, > > and reparations paid for my distress in this matter and so on -- > > make the usual threats > > > > the book says > > a prince who is not recorded is not a prince for long > > better he learn to cope with books than he eschew them > > > > and we all turn and listen to the book > > > > but what of the binding? > > > > the binding strengthens > > it is indispensable, but it lacks a separate existence; > > > > and the writing on the spine, and the book mark, > > and the index and the foreword, and the preface -- > > > > I am not a thing to be so analysed! a book? > > these things are thin reads > > without the breath of the book entire > > > > so says the book > > as if a little foxed > > not quite as cogent as it might be > > > > on another page the book says see how I am arranged > > > > I have my defences > > where only those literary marks > > which are consonant with my aims and objectives > > are allowed to stand -- my guards > > > > each page is isolated from the next, > > and converses with its fellows through my structures; > > thus are they ruled, thus are their lives made sensible > > > > my territory is subdivided and each subdivision will structure itself > > according to conventions > > > > if I were to act, for instance, a certain space would be allocated to > personae, > > those labels we allow the threads which make up the fabric of a plot, > > to assert themselves, like roots, in so far as it is necessary -- > > I have my doubts -- > > there are more modern and technological approaches > > > > I would rather it were done with colour, > > I need a little tone, and some pictures, > > than to divide off from my narrative > > an element which is a part of me and it > > and yet is not. > > > > I cannot measure it. > > > > Directions to the actor, some reader who is not a reader, > > a fool who would commit to memory what I have written here available, > > are integrated in the words I have; > > and yet, the naming of the character itself, the transformational naming, > > is constrained, not quite inside, not quite without my jurisdiction, > > like some goods in bond > > or a rogue upon a diplomatic passport. > > > > I have similar concern as to acknowledgements. > > They seem to me like coded messages. > > I do not like them. Douglas Barbour [log in to unmask] https://eclecticruckus.wordpress.com/ Recent publications: (With Sheila E Murphy) Continuations & Continuation 2 (UofAPress). Recording Dates (Rubicon Press). Done in by creation itself. I mean the gods. Not us. Well us too. The gods moved into books. Who wrote the books? We wrote the books. In whose dream, then are we dreaming? Robert Kroetsch.