Our contempt for any particular poem must be perfect, be total, because only a ruthless reading that allows us to measure the gap between the actual and the virtual will enable to to experience, if not a genuine poem—no such thing—a place for the genuine, whatever that might mean.

~ Ben Lerner

Ben Lerner Actual Contempt Experience Gap Genuine Measure Particular Perfect Poem Reading Ruthless Total Virtual

Poetry arises from the desire to get beyond the finite and the historical—the human world of violence and difference—and to reach the transcendent or divine. You're moved to write a poem, you feel called upon to sing, because of that transcendent impulse. But as soon as you move from that impulse to the actual poem, the song of the infinite is compromised by the finitude of its terms.

~ Ben Lerner

Ben Lerner Actual Desire Divine Finite Historical Human Impulse Infinite Poem Poetry Transcendent Violence World

He’s dying!’ Doctor Cove, one of the ship’s two medical officers told me, looking at his med-scanner as he kneeled at the broken body of the only living Corsair on the black ship. I remember the look on his face as he told me – which seemed more to be puzzlement than actual concern. The man was a Corsair after all, and had injuries I could see, but he was conscious, and none of them looked fatal. But then, I’m no doctor. I never was any good at healing anything – and my job was doing the opposite, and I admit I’m pretty good at it. Always have been.

~ Christina Engela

Christina Engela Actual After All Any Anything At Been Concern Corsair Cove Doctor Dying Fatal He He S I M It Job Kneeled Living Look Looked Looking Me Opposite Pretty See Seemed Ship Ship S Than The Then Was Was Conscious Which

My actual first summer internship was in the design department of Clinique.

~ Aerin Lauder

Aerin Lauder Summer First Actual