PULVERIZING PORTRAITS

Marina Tsvetayeva once said: “In this most Christian of worlds, all poets are Jews.” X-mas is coming, and we like poets. God, how we even love them. Especially the maddest ones, as they never have a problem identifying what ‘this’ is, namely the grandest of things that one can ever come across. God, how we love the high Romantic poets. They were all into ‘what might have been’ – as constant proof of the assurance of ‘this.’ And the lesson to learn from that! God, how sublimely and crushingly beautiful – if one gets it, that is. If one doesn’t, one can start here. With Tsvetayeva, Lynn Emanuel, and myself. All good Jews, in this most Christian of worlds. Tsvetayeva made it into my new book on Lynn Emanuel by means of occupying the prominent and most important space, that of the epigraph. God, how we love to quote, how we relish epigraphs, and that most venerable art of self-publishing, of ruining our careers ever so uncompromisingly only so that poetry can happen. So, X-mas is coming. Such a tedious tide. Just think of the obligation of having to figure out what others want, and get it right. And how many of us take the time it takes to get it right? Now, that is the question. But here is a safe bet. In the face of not-knowing, buy poetry. Buy books on poetry. Eat words and force them down others’ throats. Die from choking. Imagine dying with a quote in your mouth. God, how we love the idea. And so we can continue. Here’s Elias on Emanuel, then. Prophet on prophet. The book has been read by a few grand poetry experts, and they loved it. So, we take their word for it that your money won’t be spent in vain. And since you’re on amazon.com, make sure to throw in a couple of Emanuel’s own works into your basket. You won’t regret it. Good and lavish holiday times to you all. I’m off to Norway.