Sequence 13: Ashes are for Burning / A Cinema of Stills,

1958

<p>ASHES ARE FOR BURNING</p> <p>A Cinema of Stills</p> <p>Minor White </p> <p>APPERANCES ARE FOR THE BLIND:</p> <p>SO WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THINGS UNTIL WE SEE WHAT ELSE THEY ARE. </p> <p>JUST AS THE LINE IS GIVEN TO THE POET, SO IS THE SIGNIFICANT PHOTOGRAPH</p> <p>GIVEN: THE REST IS UP TO ME. WHEN LINE AND PHOTOGRAPH ARE WELDED,</p> <p>THE SENTENCE MAKES MY HAIR STAND ON END. </p> <p>If the viewer is to engage the story in this sequence of photographs</p> <p>and words, he must be willing to remember while looking at one picture</p> <p>what the preceding picture and text reminded him of. </p> <p>The viewer must assume that the photographs are used in a metaphorical</p> <p>way and are linked, not by subject matter, but by mood, by overtones,</p> <p>by the overall emotion evoked. ?The story is to be found in the</p> <p>flow and contrast of moods which arise from the words and pictures</p> <p>considered as poetry. </p> <p>IN PAYMENT TO PROMISES MADE WALK WHITMAN AND WITH INVOICES TO</p> <p>DONNE, DICKENSON &amp; BLAKE: FREUD, STIEGLITZ AND WESTON.</p> <p><u>E N T R A N C E S</u></p> <p>HINGES REMIND ME OF DOORS THAT HAVE OPENED</p> <p>BEFORE ME AND CLOSED BEHIND. AND THOSE THAT</p> <p>I REMEMBER STAND WITHOUT WALLS.</p> <p>ONE DOOR A HINGE REMINDS ME OF</p> <p>IS THE GATE AT GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE,</p> <p>IN HER GARDENS OUR ONLY DREAD WAS</p> <p>THAT THE LILACS WOULD NOT LAST UNTIL DECORATION DAY</p> <p>THE HINGE OF A BOOK REMINDS ME OF READING </p> <p>THAT THE ONLY WEST LEFT WAS GO. AND I WENT.</p> <p>ONLY I HAVE ENOUGH DAYS IN ME TO SEE THE WHOLE WORLD</p> <p>WANDERER: WHEN SYMBOLS OF LAND AND SEA MEET I AM HOME.</p> <p><u>I N T I M A T I O N S O F D I S A S T E R </u></p> <p>HOW BLANK A DOOR THAT HAS NO FACE</p> <p>SEEN ONCE THE SYMBOLS DANCE EVERYWHERE</p> <p>STARING AT ME, DO THEY SEE THE SAME SYMBOL IN MY OWN FACE?</p> <p>MIRROR, MIRROR, WHAT ANXIETY IS AUGURED?</p> <p><u>B Y T H E L A W</u> </p> <p>[WITH BACK TO A LOCKED DOOR]</p> <p>I HEARD A VOICE SAYING: "BY A LAW OF YOURSELF YOU ARE CONDEMNED</p> <p>TO LIVE IN FEAR OF THOSE WHO WILL LOVE YOU</p> <p>AND TO BE BORED WITH THOSE WHO DO NOT.</p> <p>CROSSED BRANCHES OVER BURNED STUMP: ASHES</p> <p>THE VOICE SPOKE AGAIN: “YOUR LOT IS TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WHITE IS BLACK AND BLACK IS WHITE”.</p> <p>HINGES ARE SILENT </p> <p>WHEN THIS DOOR SHUTS</p> <p><u>A M P U T A T I O N S</u></p> <p>WITH BAYONETTE, WITH LAST WILL</p> <p>&amp; MINOR TESTAMENT, I WOULD CUT</p> <p>AWAY ALL THINGS I GOT IN WAR</p> <p>TO AZERIK DEAD OF A HOLE</p> <p>IN THE BACK OF HIS HELMET</p> <p>I LEAVE THE STORES OF SALT</p> <p>TO MECHANIZED CAPTAIN BLACK</p> <p>FOR INSPIRING HATE IN HIS MEN</p> <p>I LEAVE MY HOMEMADE BOOBY TRAP</p> <p>TO ARMCHAIR COMMANDO, CAPRECHETTI </p> <p>I LEAVE MY PITY,</p> <p>HE SHUNS THE SUN OF SPRING</p> <p>BECAUSE THE SUN OF SUMMER KILLS</p> <p>WHAT'S LEFT TO GIVE A MAN GONE BERSERKE?</p> <p>MY FEET ARE GONE THAT RAN AWAY</p> <p>MY HANDS CUT OFF THAT MURDERED</p> <p>TO CROMPONE SORROWING FOR HIS BUDDY</p> <p>NO TRIFLES REMAIN</p> <p>SO I LEAVE THE MYSTIC SON</p> <p>BORN OF SEED AS DRY AS LEAVES</p> <p>TO DEATH I LEAVE MY BREATH TO DIE</p> <p>TO SLATTERY BURRIED AT SEA</p> <p>I LEAVE MY FISH LINE &amp; CORK</p> <p>HIS DAMPISH GHOST CAN FISH UPWARD </p> <p>FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BRINE</p>