Tuesday 9 December 2008

s(un)
under
(s)un
under
s(un)

2 comments:

troylloyd said...

a great mnmlst pm Stephen, it can be read a few different ways -- this reader picks up on "un" & how the u and the n are inverted forms of the same thing, the "s" may indicate plurality, perhaps humanity; i have sympathy w/ Gnosticism & Christian Mysticism, so if one were to look at it in dualistic terms, it works extremely well, the plurality of human press'd between differing divine poles, both above & below, as it were.

it could also point to the "nothing new under the sun" verse, yet, i believe every single day we are new, in the process of renewing, restoring ourselves.

it also suggests the word sunder, which rootly speaking, goes all the way back to Sanskrit w/ sanutar (aside from, far away) & also somehow the Greek ater (without, apart from) -- so that reading also gives theological implications, directly,meaning to me, an illustration of humanity in separation from the Godhead.

i'm pretty sure also that 5 would be a significant number, tho i'm not too well-read upon numerological tradition, a stab in the dark would be me fitting it in my head thuswise: F,S & HG + A & E = 5.

so, as you see, this little 5 line poem has opened up a pleromatic author-text-reader-self dialogue w/ a brilliant skeletal simplicity, the complexity of thoughts which arise is quite amazing considering the germinal aspect of the writing.

i consider this poem an instant classic.

Stephen Nelson said...

Very much appreciate these comments, Troy - and a great reading of the poem, reflecting the Christian mysticism through which a lot of stuff here is filtered.

Wonderful reflections on plurality, dualism, separation - all very much in my head.

Thank you!