Thursday, August 6, 2009

RON SILLIMAN b AUG 5 1946



silliman is a very influential poet, writer, & thinker, who was initially associated w/the language poets in the late 20th century. his blog has become quite a site for great links & occasional controversy. this is the opening of his very large & on-going poem, ketjak.


Revolving door.

Revolving door. A sequence of objects which to him appears to be
a caravan of fellaheen, a circus, begins a slow migration to the right
vanishing point on the horizon line.

Revolving door. Fountains of the financial district. Houseboats
beached at the point of low tide, only to float again when the sunset
is reflected in the water. A sequence of objects which to him appears
to be a caravan of fellaheen, a circus, camels pulling wagons of bear
cages, tamed ostriches in toy hats, begins a slow migration to the
right vanishing point on the horizon line.

Revolving door. First flies of summer. Fountains of the financial
district spout. She was a unit in a bum space, she was a damaged
child. Dark brown houseboats beached at the point of low tide—
men atop their cabin roofs, idle, play a Dobro, a jaw’s harp, a
12-string guitar—only to float again when the sunset is reflected
in the water. I want the grey-blue grain of western summer. A
cardboard box of wool sweaters on top of the bookcase to indicate
Home. A sequence of objects, silhouettes, which to him appears
to be a caravan of fellaheen, a circus, dromedaries pulling wagons
bearing tiger cages, tamed ostriches in toy hats, begins a slow
migration to the right vanishing point on the horizon line.

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