Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Struggling to remember OR choosing to forget?

My (probably unduly frivolous) post on alcoholic amnesia last week brought to mind this piece of whimsy I composed early last year (unusually, on the way back home from a bar).

I confess to a bit of a weakness for playing games with conventional perceptions of time. I hope I don't overdo it.



Selective Amnesia

My uncle said he could remember the future.
He said it was a talent most of us had
in childhood,
but lost.

We try to forget the past if it is too painful.
How bad, then, must the future be?

My uncle was not a happy man.
And never will be – as far as I can remember.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like this one, too. makes me think of Thursday Next's time traveling dad.

Have you read any of the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde?

Froog said...

Tulsa, you're really going to have to stop liking EVERYTHING I put up here - otherwise people will start to think your're just an "imaginary friend" I've created to try to give the bogus impression that someone actually reads this blog.

No, I am unaware of the series of books you mention.

Do I already have a book of yours? If so, I am likely to keep it for quite some time - it is only about 4th on my 'to read' list, and I haven't got around to reading ANYTHING for the past month or so.

Anonymous said...

LOL.... Do I like everything?! Or do I comment only on the ones I like ;)

Maybe I'll make an effort to be more negative in my criticism - But that sounds a little bit like a homework assignment - So maybe I won't...

I assume you're suffering from the same lack of 'net and TV... so how do you NOT find time to read? I think I've read and re-read everything on the bookshelves, here. And the local English language bookstores carry books I read and re-read 2 or 3 years ago - I'm desperately seeking new reading material.

Froog said...

I'm a SLOW reader. I find it takes a lot of attention and energy, which I often don't seem to have. "I work all day, and get half-drunk at night..." Now, where's THAT from?

You haven't told me if I was right about Gatsby yet.

And you don't want to let me know if you lent me a book, huh?

Look, Tulsa dearest, this is starting to bug me a bit. Do you REALLY know me? Do you have my e-mail? If so, please drop me a line to let me know who the heck you are.

Anonymous said...

You were right about Gatsby. Very clever of you to make that guess.

I have leant you a book. No worries on how long you keep it. When you do read it, I hope you enjoy it.

I don't know where your quote is from. If the answer comes to me, I'll post it.

any other questions, besides my identity - which I don't plan to announce on a public forum, that I have left unanswered?