an erasure poem derived from
The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
by Laurence Sterne
a rational Being weighed and considered
is not so inconsiderable a thing
treading the same steps
however low and ludicrous
a prey to melancholy dreams
a thousand weaknesses
from first to last
#
my life a book
the history of myself
an epic poem
if it was not so I should
skip over the remaining part
wind up
an unhappy association of ideas
#
born in the Moon
a small circle
an object of compassion
touched with pity
be it known to you
I am a mortal of little consequence
#
a metaphysical
discourse upon TIME and ETERNITY
the ideas of
INFINITY, PRESCIENCE, LIBERTY, NECESSITY
turn your eyes inwards
touch upon some secret spring
#
I could not help decyphering something
of what a Beast man is
a tale of woe
which has nothing in it
of infinite importance
and moreover
bespeaks a narrow genius
of fine parts and fertile fancy
the cause of restlessness
and disquietudes
#
the foundation of our being
this great engine
of conceptions and conclusions
every thesis and hypothesis
all the sciences and liberal arts
a prodigious stock
#
didst thou ever see a white bear?
I never have
I dreamed of one
wild terrible
a mercy that we have not been
devoured
.
Dominic Rivron
Picture Nick Victor
,