The Balustrade

in memory of Edmond Jabè s “And so her worries ran on into the other world.” The Tale of Genji 1 ultimate boundary: arms stretched sideways to represent nothing supreme accomplishment: ends of the earth 2 I will forget first what happened, then ideas then all my feelings, forgetting finally what I’m up to now pose accept almost some expiring embers signifying momentary joy 3 and a bare knife also figures 4 amnesia retrograde and anterograde—unable to acquire new information and the old store lost blessed are the feet finite on this unfinished page defy conquer divine denominations de- rived from prepositions equivalent to end, the sky wears out as well 5 earth’s limit against the soles, bordering air, but my toes point come to the world’s con- clusion, distinguishing infinity from the boundless a figure of Death in the plural of majesty a bronze vase, as vessel for nothing burnt flesh figured by the living animal the “name, address and flower” test images of weeping friends, signifying weeping 6 immaterial mystery, imperfect misery I start at the coast, my limit the shore opposite not movement mere direction 7 mist dancing 8 ocean’s music 9 an ornamental barrier or parapet along the edge of this terrace, this balcony, this etc. inconceivable splendour signifying a choice of evils nameless objects seen imperfectly by the flame from sticks a nearer though still im- perfect view back to past ages watery track . . . 10 . . . Isle of the Dead 11 stranger both to model and to copy unable to relate the garment to the body absolute border: surface and line and point, alien to all experience weaving a sound over the water, not to harbor there but to surpass the port 12 objects of regret in a mysterious accent I will forget all my words, first proper names, then common nouns adjectives next next interjections and at last (even) gestures obscurity of the dawn signifying love of self 13 on a page of sand, appearance of a footprint 14 I heard the speech of one unknown to me the report dying gradually away I heard a voice I had not known the righteous lifted up, while we remain suspended I can hear a voice I no longer recognize a sort of tear, symbol of poured wine or else the splash of the wine poured he caused him to hear a tongue which he knew not 15 he temple figured by a frame, inlet to the sanctuary, narrow pass between columns then a track leading across and beyond the balustrade this room and a skein, succession of generations, some kind of existence 16 the spin begins to wobble the bare surface where earth meets air and becomes horizon 17 to remember you, as Aristotle would insist, is not to recall you not clever or quick enough for recollection but in the slow turn of attention, I do bring you back, which does not mean I know you a picture 18 two eyes, or one triangle—sight in abstracto 19 uncertain of the way 20 thrown 21 I will forget to appreciate Klee, Tristam Shandy, Emma Kirkby then forget how to do what- ever finally forget anger and finally fear common noise, a common languor, uncanny and pensive silence