April 19, 2003

A meditation in time of war



If, to avoid war, we allow its diminutive, torture, Or to eradicate torture, we invite its expansion, war, not my fingers not my nails my genitals my eyes What are we but cross-etched hatchings in a work

Rembrandt might have created, dappling of light
not my fingers not my nails my genitals my eyes
With shade as in Hopkins, counterpoint as in Bach?
Conflict, like dissonance, demands resolution. Art

not my fingers not my nails my genitals my eyes
Knows no other choice but to care – stream whose
Eddies can't but mock our pacifist or military ways,

not my fingers not my nails my genitals my eyes
Our close as we can get to righteous certainties...
not my fingers not my nails my genitals my eyes




Posted by at April 19, 2003 02:32 PM

"Nobody admits to feasting on the drama—to loving the blood and guts and thrill of vicarious danger. Our media priests and political leaders perform rituals pretending objectivity, detachment, humanity, national piety. That beautiful moment on the road to Baghdad is not war but peace, packaged into the story of war.

"Human history is a tragedy of ego and cruelty and lies. Only art approaches it. TV news is a soap—neither the real thing nor art, just entertainment."

Diane Christian at:
http://buffaloreport.com/articles/030405christianscene.html

Posted by: Bill Benzon at April 19, 2003 05:57 PM