CYCLE FIFTY-NINE
1. To contrast the 'criminal' essence of free
verse with the 'sinful' appearance of bound verse - the former objectively
civilized and the latter subjectively natural.
2. Likewise to contrast the 'punishing'
appearance of what may be called superfree verse with
the 'graceful' essence of ... superbound verse - the
former objectively barbarous and the latter subjectively cultural.
3. Really, bound verse, which rhymes within
certain metric conventions, is figurative, while free verse, its non-rhyming
antithesis, is representational - the former feminine and the latter masculine.
4. Similarly, superbound
verse, which rhymes within a non-readerly framework
conducive to pure contemplation, is non-figurative, while superfree
verse, its non-rhyming antithesis, is non-representational - the former divine
and the latter diabolic.
5. The distinction between figurative and
non-figurative is of phenomenal relativity vis-à-vis noumenal
absolutism within a subjective framework.
6. The distinction between representational and
non-representational is of phenomenal relativity vis-à-vis noumenal
absolutism within an objective framework.
7. The most perfect
poetry can only be non-figurative, since its approximation to Being through
conceptual form transcends the mundane concerns, through perceptual form, of figurative
poetry ... pretty much as culture transcends nature.
8. Non-figurative poetry is the poetry of
idealism, whereas figurative poetry is the poetry of realism.
9. Conversely, non-representational poetry is
the poetry of naturalism, whereas representational poetry is the poetry of
materialism.
10. Broadly, poetry is the 'literature' of
science, whereas philosophy is the 'literature' of religion, fiction the
'literature' of economics, and drama the 'literature' of politics.
11. Hence to distinguish the scientific status of
poetry from the economic status of fiction, as one would distinguish the clear
elemental from the unclear molecular.
12. Hence to distinguish the
political status of drama from the religious status of philosophy, as one would
distinguish the unholy molecular from the holy elemental.
13. To distinguish,
within poetry, the naturalism of non-representation from the materialism of
representation, while likewise distinguishing the realism of figuration from
the idealism of non-figuration.
14. To distinguish,
within fiction, the communism of allegories from the capitalism of novels,
while likewise distinguishing the socialism of short stories from the
corporatism of prose poems.
15. To distinguish,
within drama, the authoritarianism of tragedy from the parliamentarianism of
comedy, while likewise distinguishing the republicanism of social drama from
the totalitarianism of poetic drama.
16. To distinguish,
within philosophy, the fundamentalism of monologues from the nonconformism of essays, while likewise distinguishing the
humanism of dialogues from the transcendentalism of aphorisms.
17. A barbarous society, rooted in science, would
be one dominated by poetry, specifically in the guise of non-representation,
the naturalist per se of poetry, and would suffer (if at all) only 'bovaryized' modes of fiction, drama, and philosophy.
18. A civilized society, rooted in economics,
would be one dominated by fiction, specifically in the guise of novels, the
capitalist per se of fiction, and would suffer (if at all) only 'bovaryized' modes of philosophy, poetry, and drama.
19. A natural society, centred in politics, would
be one dedicated to drama, specifically in the guise of social drama, the
socialist per se of drama, and would suffer (if at all) only 'bovaryized' modes of poetry, philosophy, and fiction.
20. A cultural society, centred in religion, would
be one dedicated to philosophy, specifically in the guise of aphorisms, the
transcendentalist per se of philosophy, and would suffer (if at all) only 'bovaryized' modes of drama, fiction, and poetry.
21. The task of the
supreme literary artist, as I conceive of him, is to help bring about a
cultural society in which philosophy comes to divine fruition in the most
perfect cultural form. Only then will
philosophy be saved to the grace of aphorisms, becoming a true reflection of
Supreme Being.
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