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Op. 32
ABSTRACTS
Abstract Poems
Copyright © 2011 John O'Loughlin
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CONTENTS
1. Introduction
2. Poems 1-39
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INTRODUCTION
Where, you might wonder, does philosophy end and antiphilosophy begin? Certainly not in the same place or at the same time, though we may conjecture that philosophy ends with a critique of (the highest manifestation of appearances in) language, and that this development may co-exist with an antiphilosophy that began with a revolt against appearances in a new-found concern for essences, that is to say for metaphysics as opposed to physics, for the supernatural as opposed to the natural.
Such a revolt began, around the mid-nineteenth century, with Schopenhauer, before anyone had thought of writing a critique of language. It was a revolt, in large part, against the Kantian critique of ethics, of appearances conceived in humanistic terms, and we may define it as a petty-bourgeois reaction against bourgeois philosophy, which, in Kant, was also veering in a metaphysical direction. Consequently we may say that, while bourgeois philosophy wasn't entirely immune to metaphysical leanings, a predominantly metaphysical philosophy, i.e. an antiphilosophy, had to await a petty-bourgeois champion in an incipiently transcendental age. Schopenhauer was such a champion, and although he adhered to bourgeois technical procedures (including the utilization of traditional relative genres) he yet wrote - if not exclusively then at any rate predominantly - within a metaphysical framework, given, in his concern with truth, to essences.
So to answer our opening question more fully, we may say that philosophy ends on a petty-bourgeois level of concern for the highest manifestation of appearances in language, i.e. on the most artificial terms, whilst antiphilosophy begins on a petty-bourgeois level of concern for the lowest manifestation of essences in metaphysical speculation.
So much for philosophy! Let us now ask ourselves, in getting to the heart of this essay, where does poetry end and antipoetry begin? And I think we can answer this question, pretty much as we answered the opening one, by contending that, although in practice the two kinds of poetry often overlap, the poetical ends by singing the praises of artificial beauty, while the antipoetical begins in a preponderating concern for the metaphysical ... as a vehicle for the exploration and elucidation of truth. Thus we have good reason to believe that, as with philosophy and antiphilosophy, poetry ends and antipoetry begins on a petty-bourgeois level, the one at the climax to a concern for appearances in the most artificial context, i.e. as pertinent to the urban/industrial environment, and the other at the inception to a concern for essences in the least spiritual context, i.e. as pertinent to the intellectual elucidation of metaphysical speculation.
Once again Western civilization affords us, in Baudelaire and Swinburne, two fairly conspicuous examples of the end of a poetical tradition and the beginning of an antipoetical revolt, which we may also date from around the mid-nineteenth century, even though the concern with appearances isn't always with the beautiful, nor even the artificial, and the concern with truth doesn't always result in metaphysical speculation but may, in its more radical guise, lead (as with Rimbaud and Mallarmé) towards the abstract, and thus to the overcoming of all appearances, including those composed, through grammatical conventions, in the name of essences - the dogmatically metaphysical.
If we can divide petty-bourgeois poetry into a lower and a higher type, corresponding to an earlier and a later stage of evolutionary development, then I think it will be found that metaphysical poetry corresponds to the former and experimentally abstract, or quasi-abstract, poetry to the latter, so that the evolution of antipoetry, on petty-bourgeois terms, is from the pseudo-apparent to the quasi-essential, in accordance with the relativistic criteria of petty-bourgeois civilization - criteria not guaranteed, however, to endorse the establishment and development of a totally abstract poetry (superpoetry?), such that would accord with the free-electron constitution of a transcendental civilization - one less intellectual than spiritual. There is always in petty-bourgeois poetry a degree of intellectual relativity, even when this relativity takes the form of surrealism which, while defying utilitarian reference and traditional descriptive/analytical usage, makes little or no attempt to defy grammatical convention by interfering with the usual links between, for example, adjectives and nouns, adverbs and adjectives, verbs and pronouns, adverbs and verbs, and so on, but, rather, settles for a compromise between the meaningful and the meaningless in some degree of surrealistic relativity. Clearly, while this is compatible with the extreme relativistic integrity of petty-bourgeois civilization, it could have no place in a proletarian civilization founded on absolute values. Only a totally abstract poetry would suffice there, and, in establishing a static community of independent words, it would signify the culmination of poetic development in the most radical essence. It is this 'superpoetry', the quintessence of poetic endeavour, that signifies the salvation of literature; for it is the most artificial, the most difficult to compose, and the most transcendent. And yet it frees the reader, as no other poetry ever could, from intellectual appearances.
Finally, since the distinction between poetry and antipoetry, no less than philosophy and antiphilosophy, is with regard to the apparent and the essential, it follows that whilst antipoetry and antiphilosophy, particularly in their absolute manifestations, will be acceptable to a Transcendentalist, philosophy and poetry won't be, since their concern with different levels of appearance ... puts them beneath the pale, as it were, of what is acceptable in a transcendental civilization. Consequently whilst antiphilosophy and antipoetry, as conceived on the most radically essential terms, will be respected in the final human civilization, neither philosophy nor poetry will be encouraged, since, together with petty-bourgeois levels of antiphilosophy and antipoetry, they pertain to a relative age, and nothing relative will be endorsed once an absolute civilization gets properly under way, not even an anti-philosophical introduction to a volume of abstract poetry! And certainly not fictional literature, considered in its novelistic/short-story manifestations, which either predominantly stems from appearances on philosophical and/or poetical terms, is balanced between philosophy and/or poetry on the one hand ... and antiphilosophy and/or antipoetry on the other hand, or predominantly aspires towards essence on anti-philosophical and/or anti-poetical terms, depending, in each case, whether a grand-bourgeois, a bourgeois, or a petty-bourgeois epoch rules the day and, to a lesser extent, upon the class integrity of any given author.
Whatever the case, no such literature will be considered worthy of study in an absolute age. Only such literature, together with superpoetry, as I have composed for the benefit of a proletariat become civilized - in a word, for transcendentalists. May they appreciate this abstract poetry as they choose, for I have no desire to dictate punctuation spaces to them!
John O'Loughlin, 1983 (Revised 2006)
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1
Calmly soft the minus arises
poison like luxuriously cloud age
motion beginning his impervious
out nevertheless angle red in
could once truly face shaft
potatoes ghost mark the says
nor strapping with elder noise
and quick we yes on weekly
everywhere dog grant though not
implosion more for delicately song
twice neither but evening pace
wondering like modern in draught
now all and carefully pig my
does yet hot secretly down the
pulls from alike to pink grasp
the night without than saving
good her perhaps given dark
where soon energy off notice
grey him safely want through
nowhere beside dance
2
Each dark to led in grip
the could if seemingly point
he nerve on grapple thought like
yes cat however water desirous
not while took as ton satisfactory
cluttered you quick cotton where
too can in heavy near speaks
you there carefully together but
cake when falls front somehow
year yesterday graft scissors
there big can't by noteworthy
as finish lady wanton it night
now lintel whereby eat and
face over a flat wholly die poise
3
Next love day against curious
but soot thought it lack house
all window given prepare out
needless spice the quickly boat
and though her small where yet
leaf a green thoughtfully stone
because lone and thus mark
we mouse to when off wherefore
stale goading precipice teeth
angled red her see like well
moth taken left while suck on
cool pause growing spanner as
black yet good slowly gulf before
ill taught nil since securely
ran cloud iron tall whether too
dinner beneath lazy or spark can
high trickle grasp nor tusk
fortunately eel over dark we hard
by moot curious finished laugh
4
Doctor out make night before
lift ways purple had if glean
grace loss neither he grey
so elder safely smooth it lake
piecemeal grew job bole past
the tell off gravity hooks where
see simple to ache talking ran
pink in soft late between yes
nor eats beguiled bake through
surely heaven slice name falsely
grace nor happen gathering said
left primary and but over or
painter dent pulling nearer discard
safe took once an bell truth west
5
Wednesday speak off new fought
tour when yes hope greasy take
weather care needle favourite why
he think jack laughter because not
fathoms day talking plum jumper as
cape kindled six now took maybe
like do where well speed soft
in which whale couldn't space my if
raw pounces closer runs paper slow
thanks year people craftily five near
rely consequent relief no devious
pull way aghast private mellow
domiciled follow has right frail
juncture even sigh loaf continuity
breezing stake briefly tall east
monday good stalks he and talk
6
Saturday paused longitude dose
nascent week pallid nimble above
ache leaf caution falls created
largely passion breaking pomp feel
notwithstanding left keep placed big
and digger tack baffle too with
cautiously dimple blight wink blue
however fig spice lean captain plant
singe meek platitudinous lip
pass through if meddle cautions
now face as grew north can
limp a fat beyond sincerely magazine
7
Sugar oath limits pig quick
don as fief letters take wet
links motion perhaps square than
dreamily circumference exalted
cast pap leaf been when sip
truth quick will in affable
sleek cured dope ringing slack
a now crew drip safely him
bitten yellow single paint scream
hop the eat noisily tea slumming
when happen soldier maybe dash linger
fast baffled weak taking sudden
I cream limber pegs thoughtfully
cat why aiming cup her between
safe wing pass lengthily jars for
remember graft leaning soap nice it
quantity he cream more away sheath
free dig partly blow than hole
mellow on swim flesh satisfy sex
8
Care took draft bare half look
space mind bore race kind sore
dig meet dome fig heat comb
watch pale safe scratch ale waif
nod leaf spice god deaf dice
aim want shoe dame font glue
well fish grape bell dish cape
feat soap live feet rope hive
mouse train yes douse pain guess
ground spice dog bound nice fog
won't help staff don't yelp scarf
think stick left link prick cleft
ah toad edge bah load wedge
grey make sip day fake nip
so ever grunt no never hunt
talk way off chalk stay toff
now hiss a how miss stay
9
Careful non gravy preen like
peut-être something down wilful
every nimble bleu safely sod
dark hopefully deaf white oui
and engine aiming douce clear
slarf soap mop tightly favour
windows effort not hilfe sad
blinking though naar link about
south blut every before wince
therefore cut all house langsam
peel where dolce slice winter
fatto because really grown swig
never lingerie potato hop mia
right savour knows vita grasp
tearful mourir charge well his
faint escarpment tidy trup age
once finger made counting dom
snigger old tebya before cord
then bombi gracious hood father
nyet after happen growth womb
10
Face ten all with tent dog and
six before carefree limber I take
though neither thin four grouse lady
shoes whose wing fall ninety safe
here people wives once how nought
age have become two free thankfully
we that single live pain beyond
they before us double own sin
now it none was became goods
will men continue numbers safe
having eight space you pale
five off can't dale purple verb
all tearing sudden ground three
tightens nine beginning then last
11
Beast free garden not sex alone
party one people all class together
religion ours truth revealed hope alive
bourgeois gone novels not noise free
competition out restaurants gone army past
houses shared meditating together group comfort
drink artificial peace real goal one
alcohol banned dope despised orchestras out
sexism past priests gone sleep alone
city large machines working computers thinking
food immaterial videos private headphones on
nature out exploitation gone gardening past
eat alone aristocrats not prayer gone
awareness high comfort there security sure
police peaceful health improved spaceships large
nationalism gone war past drink alone
12
In passion thought carefully wide aloft
no dimple pause wandering so people
if safety dip naturally work needle
that seabirds pace impression stalk question
be having took anyway gone sweating
to believe ash castaway glean tonight
but sadly went beautifully shoes away
a playful could position trick happy
do suggest drape regional has never
can under life simmering doubt being
first knowledge spark inception cross rally
bank maybe tone cantankerous now liver
so clearly wan nudity singe mellow
then payment too mournfully snipe packet
this eating sand bellowing round doing
as clockwork sod emperor dice milky
grey bellow found deciding boat lettuce
last negro force impertinent well digest
13
Squash pond soap towel month snot
green careful south large tight dim
quickly doubtfully suddenly rightly properly
on beside over in under above to
and but or because if after
run laugh throw keep walk sit
I you they he us me
diving limping shouting dreaming hoping
his ours theirs mine yours
squash careful in suddenly if
run you shouting mine
14
Think nash vater mani sucre
plok ganz bella être motion
boot pittore beau dive spasibo
sucorso reve laughter veshen luder
ballon after moy ihr signora
toast otyets soldarten molto yeux
mouton nulla bub novy mixing
caprice platz dom house peau
hilfe proshay windows douce io
stoy darkening facteur bambino dumm
15
Has wondering said does thinks
spurt happen is tolling laughs
gave being wanted knowing will
stop calls knew thinking can
running had should are go
play don't looks fasted may
pulling dive say went speaks
have mumble took goes suggested
feels sleeping put wont stood
deafen defeated fly stays like
needs tell spelt digging finish
blocks hurried dwelt pay growing
sold teaching reaches smell known
send am wouldn't fighting lose
walking died taken spill dodges
make read seeing been was
learns dug swallowing think grasp
16
Blunt sip leaf to shade old nigh
single all besides wreath grew too
need do where such pace greed
pure dented safe sliding sound if
and cause been link for it rear
teat windows on rightly heap seven
fade liver island down gamble force
near spice token would under put
lead second dig why bear token a
effort so because left sudden in
axe goat by hairy focal thrower
well not eagles limber service bead
no leading happen right said for
weather reckoned sincere down or
grave poor before do terse drew
scrape like notice when pool
took why deed sudden rage off
goaded deep speaks wanton fall
bridge signed die felt tapering as
dapper weal so mentions sooty rare
17
Place pig people put prance pose
pimple position paying principle person
pudding priest pelt poor passion pill
peat padding piper poker plate push
prick post pall perceive pup plant
pine potato pay peel pummel precious
pollen paper pussy pillow plonk pet
puff peer pant pity pollen price
pool peace prim paddle play purpose
pimp patio pounce prove pest puddle
past pleat pornography puppy piece
peppermint paste pint pull preference
popular player pod pun pie pain
plod pancake pimple puke pennant
panache preaching pip poke peck plead
poem pandemonium picked prey plait pupil
prince posh pipe pulpit pallid
18
Well can no paper scope loath
bell pate note beyond sad nought
dell when pause bash fish aid
sell before mean south of keep
hell old wicked lean as little
fell why because saying hype bole
cell and crate light weed did
tell bigger on laid cart off sea
done sudden below hale tell
soft grace tale nougat cell
graft over veal reach women fell
coop by nick good lean hell
mingle tool in before as sell
capable rind pod baffle dell
market simple told was bell
pig danger pare went loft well
19
You dog pig hip red jaw tea
log pea bed new pip raw gig
die not boy pay cat sod had
toy sat dad rod sot day try
hag nip law bee dig bog woo
dip loo wed hog sea caw fig
rat why coy nod bad cot lay
lad dot fly bay fog joy cod
20
In ash bone space window penalty
be lag tape tooth darken devilry
to why foot bacon manage binding
as pen said loath market pillows
if man poor night safely quicken
on had root mince clever needles
by lap lace mount fellow steeple
oh pit daze plods corner swiftly
am cog help mouse hazard chimney
so fad lock clear dimple careful
me say road water having varnish
do fat sing happy willow crisply
he nod cast swift plenty weekday
no wig keep paper doctor foreleg
or lip nose green potato sausage
we day made roses taking compose
an sin grow never gravel rounded
at pot fade graft simple naughty
21
Ash coat drift bee fade
house gun keep lemon ink
make queer open pig noose
top sugar rest prove veer
window x-ray yew zipper had
many yellow xenon wife valet
up won toad day quip
orange nose mellow life keg
jaded hop gross fig inch
press edge cot bark apple
22
A be cot deer eagle fathom
go hip inch jumps kipper leather
mop nose opera pepper quality restrict
seer trust umpire viaduct withdraw xylophone
xylophone withdraw viaduct umpire trust seer
restrict quality pepper opera nose mop
leather kipper jumps inch hip go
fathom eagle deer cot be a
23
House clean pause dream south
clock watch sugar force hotel
plays north tempo twice dials
mouth space bland spice green
round wants swift bleak taken
brown feast safer empty while
doper dying mound apple clasp
moths sated chink block rouse
caper teeth saved groin think
piece drunk peace clink shake
trace brink creak hound cause
brake cream latch grand drift
beast grasp blink mouse sound
bleed grain drink patch grace
seven black hatch yeast rocks
latch never point trace whale
track grain blown fever tight
motel blond climb least brick
24
Apple bag coat broom arc cake
anus bun crisp ape creak bash
carp and break ample cat boat
care big amble bowl aid crisp
ask brief cold after cap bold
corn break aid ball cot avert
bit ankle clam ache beast cry
boom ate cling bid clip anger
25
So be or if as do my it
fat nip day why men pig ant
both each like
truth grief bacon stick beach
happen crafty window trance
satisfy happily caution
mountain scorpion
orientate
26
Brave cot grave sot knave dot
tease look cease book lease hook
sand nod band cod hand sod
death fish heath wish neath dish
cope bag hope hag mope lag
place soot grace hoot space root
pig graft dig craft gig draft
house mind louse kind rouse find
host dip most lip cost rip
tin sell bin tell fin bell
nose match rose hatch pose latch
steam fit cream pit dream lit
27
Speak leak eke beak sneak
seek tweak peek creek meek
freak weak sleek teak break
lake stake bake drape cape
ape gape flake take shake rake
drake make shape fake grape
nape slake wake quake sake
bleak heap steep weep sleep
deep creep leap bleep jeep
sweep reap crape jake
snake ache spake cake
28
Meal feel deal reel seal peel
feel meal reel seal peel deal
deal peel meal feel seal reel
reel deal peel meal feel seal
seal reel meal peel deal feel
peel seal feel deal reel meal
29
Cow be near window if ash
full grape the so mean pitch
like as mud pinch take on
dive roses and which with do
place pick dip laugh in deep
did want while all care by
said watch for player dig of
through pass night an play hope
gave laugh why safe where at
port leg he safely switch fate
douse pat wink or house care
it may grave lip four growth
sing too pinch fathom me cover
weed bleak soap where oh dip
mice could tip ah yes ladies
30
Sad full blink guarded safely
where toad slowly hat sadness
motion glean room thought fad
deaf wholly ravish sat mellow
and growing prick doom lagger
briefly tone for shiver grape
know thought lemon motion six
badly fear favour too station
she pillow ached feather blue
made servant relish axe devil
old happen while moth greatly
snigger rot does lotion crape
book forward river beaten has
off grind between land trough
sell bog family which foaming
bother ask million dove where
want sudden railway pinch out
failure green pace too guards
31
Because fulcrum lowly staff
aspects noted taken grasping
limbs flake wise crater neat
then against latitude poison
fulsome gracious rising fade
tricked worth have ample late
once through favourite made rise
craft soldiered passionate light
fancy salmon cautious solemn
especially week graded loft
when truthful wreck havoc length
beginning craftily over linger
thoughts smear lamb worthy laughing
trough scattered where sacred
nimble ounce rattled song hinge
never band breasting prayer caught
entice radium scarf leer
wandering fleet shove clean
brightly fainting voluminous left
situated blight grave broth
token generously pallid full
bead tapping maintain scrape done
pattern surely beef which seal
could simple without fluttering
break nascent through begin
every asked couch tarnish
method softly clip smearing
wheedle flippant weather groped
backing tremble males tonight
eyes ought ventilation hung crazy
32
Patch seem grow basks more alley
can right draw bland head chalk
window sap gather tin pushes hop
sit gamely his fathom nor bullet
to morning so evening of friendly
careful by sweeten no doctors it
pale middle drop houses safe faster
pallid took grasps limp failed sore
sap fetch dig grope mop south
token ask light and frisk win
grey be well if pale in
he lamp or grow my does
weather manage caution supple suggests wrench
pamper growing animal decides method peopled
rope fig lane for good but
all face pip lead son down
33
Word mouth ginger tell massif tiger
dreads focal wind pallid itch dream
proper deep quite well price softer
drip growth anger burned grace damp
force prim damage soft trace lesson
longer space keep dance hamper past
34
Feast fashion form frisk for fish
favour fry fall fist fathom fop
fade fed fracas food frame fag
finger fog fresh font flask
foto flare famous flip fork
family furl flavour fat flour
force feel fad fell fodder
foam float fake flout fan
fear fob fleet fuss far
flag fly flurry forward first
feat flapper frost fame fulsome
35
Only asks blue dope said when
once food toad been dose kill
paid will flys done pink gape
flaw have tell over girl sink
dear left whom sake fish true
dark made back lean hell fast
blow suck dent puts deer call
late grow sack want feet daze
flag need poop dice kind lame
flow bear load soap well face
hose grim ball took year most
pack down jade nail full open
dust clad wife post bowl verb
flip glue dung nose pout leaf
seen ears poke rind grab wall
fond high sale nine cool drew
bone plan soft weak road tray
gate doss mask such fair clap
mean slay door fate pick leap
36
May while compost hit knife friends
lap crack running for grave through
all point station why truth railing
fat could trainer dig grand satisfy
now brick wakeful sap peace laggard
off sweet caution lip grace riddled
ton house actions lid graft plastic
hop table wadding cow bring fashion
was drink ballast sod quick trinket
are pause weekday rip chink dashing
you craft leaflet but grain toughly
are pound sharpen fig graze mention
dot blink talking out sugar doorway
war grope tension had dance watcher
him flout sharply too mound picture
god slope morning sat green disgust
way right flaccid pot slice tuesday
37
Pause wondered once green highroad
whole so weak dip laugh can fast
teat near wool safe behind shock
match sop after moulded gravy slit
and crawl for sound beneath danger
whip cradle like well sane night
down pleasant you ways calmly south
or air larder flown breaking care
nether plane quick song barns lame
all tickle widow melt sock wind
over jam clear mope happen low
trying where pall bought ache woof
grown wink like safely knot ask
drift plant flash window fade talking
now grade sock lightly please fame
down walks bear limber between
though eat fired nice fold especially
need from dose fly aimless
grey pull blacken as how well
38
Air dot game wind scarf place
fop air push lane teeth blade
sun gad wash spot neath would
ale mod dole fuss quake watch
old but wash dump pinch tower
ant wed fold tray bandy sloth
dam put town flap elder tonic
fob gut wane seed noise crank
lit bum cash pram share float
bat mug cold sail dwell thumb
far dud much look faith quell
out end plod duck woman farce
boo hit mood dank cross nasty
use yes some gush plane drape
can arm shut wake dread poise
boy see does fake hurry glade
him rot soft well flash prank
let bag halt quip crawl mouth
spy dim last meek solve haste
39
Admirably bark crust drew effort
fulsome gamely hail ink just
key lapse many north old
presumably quell rest scorch
true us void wealth x-rays you
zipper many crust bark north just
admirably quell void lapse
key scorch old presumably wealth
ink effort fulsome drew gamely
x-rays us rest you true zipper
hail zipper you x-rays wealth void
us true scorch rest quell
presumably old north many lapse
key just ink hail gamely fulsome
effort drew crust bark admirably