Empty Words: Writings ’73–’78

Sixty-One Mesostics Re and Not Re Norman O. Brown

When Charles Aitel, representing a group of Norman O. Brown's former students, sent me a form letter in 1977 asking me to contribute to a cento in Brown's honor, I was delighted. The moment I had the chance I got to work with pleasure. This text includes references to other friends. The automobile accident happened to Teeny Duchamp. She has had to learn to walk all over again. It was with Edith Speziali that Pluteus cervinus was found in Scarsdale. Richard Martin Jarrell (Tom Jarrell, a two-time draft card burner) gave me, by example, the courage to learn to make bread, and Shizuko Yamamoto changed my diet. Sixty-One Mesostics Re and Not Re Norman O. Brown there is no difference Between this paRking zOne and any other, the entire city is a toWaway zoNe. which would you rather Be, an aRtist Or a Work of art? that came up at the discussioN. discussiOn as a form of art. let Others have theirs (we have ours): pun. Sixty-One Mesostics Re and Not Re Norman O. Brown : 123 breakfast: the mOrning newspaper. first oBjective: scaRsdale. mushrOoms groW oN heathcOte near palmer, find sOmething to think. yOu were carried away. we doN't knOw ouR dreaMs Asleep: awake we kNow them. 124 : E M P T Y W O R D S Behind the medical centeR On a pile of chips pluteus cervinus (dry) Was fouNd in quantity. nO place to go is everywhere. it was Never pOssible foR all of us to hunt Mushrooms together: even when you'n'ifirstmet Stephen wAs already liviNg away from home. theN, thOugh i didn't know wheRe was there i drove straight towards theM. it wAs as though we'd had aN appointment. it has Become a pleasuRe tO go to japan by staying at home in neW york makiNg nuka pickles. nO parking. nO aspirin. Sixty-One Mesostics Re and Not Re Norman O. Brown : 125 tiBetan baRley bread with rOasted sunfloWer seeds ("theoNly bread yOu need to know how to make, the greatest"): tassajara bread book. what does it meaN when we say sOmeone's a complicated peRson? soMeone whose reply's unpredictAble horizoNtally and vertically? what happened (autOmobile accident)? you tried to climb a tree. 1 2 6 : E M P T Y W O R D S to walk, starting all over again. Beth will dRive. i will gO on With our coNversation. i Begin ciRca twenty-fOur hours ahead of time: that Way the hard crust is thiN and crunchy. conversation is the staff of life. it was Because of Repeated audible failures tO begin and a visible uncertainty of balance that you made me feel i Was iN a theater. yOu held on to the lectern as though for dear life. Sixty-One Mesostics Re and Not Re Norman O· Brown : 127 the oNly way tO conveRse with you is to be in the saMe room or in the sAme car or oN the same path: the telephone doesn't work. your stutteriNg's a basket. it allOws you to gatheR together More ideAs thaN a sentence Ordinarily would be able to hold. agaiN it happens: nO diffeRence between relevance and irrelevance: More'n'more All thiNgs go together. the day was saved By dReaming: Once i Was awake there was Nothing But poetRy. cOver it With a damp cloth aNd leave it in an oven with the pilot light on. 128 : E M P T Y W O R D S at the Beginning it sticks to eveRything and falls apart but as yOu Work with it it takes shape aNd Becomes elastic, we've always meant to be healthy but the last time we thRee were in a health fOod store together We were tourists lookiNg for sNacks. my shOpping list today: bRown rice, sesaMe seeds, tsAmpa, peaNuts. your seNse Of theateR caMe through even on the recording. but still i would rAther have actually beeN iN the hall sO i could have seen you while you weRe speaking. Mix theflourswith the oils, your pAlms together, right-left, as though you are marchiNg. this is thefirstsummer iVe decided tO stay in the city. Sixty-One Mesostics Re and Not Re Norman O. Brown : 129 there are...