Tunnel by William H Gass
"I gave up poetry in my youth.
Why?
(1) I gave up youth.
Why did you give up youth?
(a) I was no good at it. Have your youth later, I said, when you are better equipped...
Poetry stood for order, rule, and regulation, didn't it?
Not in my mind.
-i- It represented riot and wilderness and inner regard.
-ii- It represented fire, war, wonderment, and faithful dedication.
-iii- It stood for what might, what could, what would, what should essentially Be. It was written as if from the future. It saved with praise whatever was passing, while history hurried it along, and lowered life into its grave with solemn pontification. An event enters history because it is over; dead, it is buried in blame like a pigeon on its own shit or a gull in its guano. It should be clear -- plain to any person -- open to any eye -- that historical chronicles are chronologies of crime, and that any recital of the past constitutes an indictment.
You appear to hate history.
I love History because I hate Time and all that Time contains."
William H. Gass, The Tunnel, p. 84
Why?
(1) I gave up youth.
Why did you give up youth?
(a) I was no good at it. Have your youth later, I said, when you are better equipped...
Poetry stood for order, rule, and regulation, didn't it?
Not in my mind.
-i- It represented riot and wilderness and inner regard.
-ii- It represented fire, war, wonderment, and faithful dedication.
-iii- It stood for what might, what could, what would, what should essentially Be. It was written as if from the future. It saved with praise whatever was passing, while history hurried it along, and lowered life into its grave with solemn pontification. An event enters history because it is over; dead, it is buried in blame like a pigeon on its own shit or a gull in its guano. It should be clear -- plain to any person -- open to any eye -- that historical chronicles are chronologies of crime, and that any recital of the past constitutes an indictment.
You appear to hate history.
I love History because I hate Time and all that Time contains."
William H. Gass, The Tunnel, p. 84