Bad Faery

Saturday, July 05, 2008

…the willow grove’s visible prayer as evening falls…

I have chosen Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss as my next novel and starting it today I was arrested by this wonderful passage quoted at the start. It is from one of my very favourite writers, Jorge Luis Borges.

Boast of Quietness

Writings of light assault in the darkness, more prodigious than meteors.

The tall unknowable city takes over the countryside.

Sure of my life and my death, I observe the ambitious and would like to understand them.

Their day is greedy as a lariat in the air.

Their night is a rest from the rage within steel, quick to attack.

They speak of homeland.

My homeland is the rhythm of a guitar, a few portraits, an old sword, the willow grove’s visible prayer as evening falls.

Time is living me.

More silent than my shadow, I pass through the loftily covetous multitude.

They are indispensable, singular, worthy of tomorrow.

My name is someone and anyone.

I walk slowly, like someone who comes from so far away he doesn’t expect to arrive.

* * * *
Previously on Bad Faery: you might also find this entry of interest You Learn

Posted by Bad Faery on 07/05 at 12:52 PM
Posted in: Books • Fiction • Poetry •

Comments:

this passage ~ is arresting and luminous
and ....stirring…

can you recommend a good book of his
to start?

Posted by maddie on 07/07 at 04:50 AM

thank you for the recommendation
~ i have ordered the poems of course:)
and will check into the short stories
next:)

Posted by maddie on 07/08 at 02:30 PM

I tried to read this book last year but put it away after 2 Chapters. Reading your blog made me think about trying it again. (I love your art).

Posted by Fourborne on 07/08 at 10:26 PM

beautiful.....

How are things in Ireland?

Posted by Lynn on 07/10 at 05:04 PM

Thanks Fourbourne! I’m only about 100 pages into The Inheritance of Loss so far. I haven’t read much Indian literature before so it’s like visiting a whole new world for me.

As for how things are in Ireland, Lynn, busy, busy, busy! It’s arts festival season so work is crazy! Looking forward to things easing down (briefly!) in August :)

Posted by Bad Faery on 07/12 at 12:08 PM