By Nicanor Parra
Translated by Liz Werner
Parra laughs like he's condemned to hell
but when haven't poets laughed?
at least he declares that he's laughing
they pass the years pass
the years
at least they seem to be passing
hypothesis non fingo
everything goes on as if they were passing
now he starts to cry
forgetting that he's an antipoet.
My corpse and I
understand each other marvelously
my corpse asks me: do you believe in God?
and I respond with a hearty NO
my corpse asks: do you believe in the government?
and I respond with the hammer and sickle
my corpse asks: do you believe in the police?
and I respond with a punch in the face
then he gets up out of his coffin
and we go arm in arm to the altar
The true problem of philosophy
is who does the dishes
nothing otherworldly
God
the truth
the passage of time
absolutely
but first, who does the dishes
whoever wants to do them, go ahead
see ya later, alligator
and we're right back to being enemies
--------
I owe lots and lots of comments and e-mails, but I spent the morning goofing off after Adam woke me up early so we could go shopping together for our Superpoke Pets, then Perkypaduan came over with food and we watched Merlin and discussed boys, upcoming movies, and books we need to make time to read. After school, both kids had dentist appointments, held in the adjacent orthodontist's office because he has a computer right on the counter where everyone could hear the streaming audio from the Maryland-California game (which Maryland won, and there was great rejoicing, but the Terps must play #2 seed Memphis on Saturday, which will be the real test).
The dentist was even more entertaining because I experienced either the hilarity or the horror (take your pick) of listening to Daniel earnestly explain to the hygienist that he did not dare use an electric toothbrush, as Adam has done since he got braces, because he might inadvertently electrocute himself. The fact that a Google search did not reveal a single case of accidental electrocution by toothbrush, even by people using them in decidedly non-dental orifices, did not convince him that it was safe, and everyone in the dentist's office was giggling. To celebrate clean teeth, we went out for bubble tea, then came home for dinner and watched "Qpid" which I need to review tomorrow -- "I am not a merry man!" is just as funny as it was the first time.
Washington Monument in winter from near the front of the Capitol Building near sunset.
Washington Monument in spring approaching from the Jefferson Memorial.
Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument from I-395.
A draft of the Bill of Rights from the National Archives.
Also at the National Archives, Barry Faulkner's painting of the Founding Fathers at the Constitutional convention.
The Fontainbleau exhibit last spring at the National Gallery of Art.
I have nothing to say about this week's Smallville because I did not see it, having been informed by Paul that it was a rerun. Whether he actually believes he looked this up and was confused or not is a matter of some conjecture...all I know is that there was basketball on nearly the entire evening, and I realized I had missed a new episode only after other people started posting about it. *growls* Springsteen on Jon Stewart was a bit of a letdown, but I blame that on the song; perhaps this is sacrilege to admit, but the current lyrics can't hold a candle to the lyrics on decades-old albums of his. Still, it was fun to watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment