Thou
You have to use words
but words cannot capture God
You have to use words
but words cannot capture
You have to use words
but words cannot
You have to use words
but words
You have to use words
but
You have to use words
You have to
You
Comments
Nicely done, nicely. All language is ultimately on a hiding to nowhere. The best it can manage? Poor approximations of reality, or beliefs, or whatever. Nonetheless it's still my wife [but don't tell my mistress, music. They don't always see eye to eye.]
Nice shot - Dave - at unsaying the unsayable.
Maybe needs the first line repeated at the end?
Thank you Andy, Steve, Stella, Nick, Laura and Julian. that's a really interesting idea Andy. Reading it upwards works. Thank you.
Steve, I agree we can't do without words, limited as they are. I wasn't saying they're meaningless - just inadequate, which touches on Laura's question. To which I would (hesitantly) respond that Yahweh is where He/She always was and that the words are clues or pointers.
Julian - you could be right but that's how it felt and I'm not changing it now!
I love this too, great structural idea, though I felt a little short-changed that you did not continue the one-by-one word reduction, which would have given, in my view, a more powerful ending:
You have to use words
You have to use
You have to
You have
You
--
or is it just me?
Ooo I like this!! Very interesting structure - and finishing with you contrasting with Thou - stroke of brilliance that chuck.
If you can't capture God with words, then where does that leave Yahweh? ;)
Nice one Dave. The inadequacy of words -
<Deleted User> (6315)
Tue 1st Nov 2011 10:38
I like this too Dave, and I think that's a great idea that Andy has too... :) It is as if the You in this is very small..
steve mellor
Tue 1st Nov 2011 10:36
Hi Hi Dave
Good stuff
Words are meaningless?
Could we survive without them?
very clever, Dave.. Impressive stuff as normal.. Out of interest - did you try this the other way round (Could be a idea for another piece maybe?)A
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Chris Co
Tue 10th Jan 2012 19:09
I read this a while back and enjoyed it, meant to comment but somehow got dragged away from the pc and didn't make it back. Then I heard you read it last night at the Bards.
It is very thoughtful.
It is seemingly simplistic, that is to say the technique of a sentence and removing one word at a time is simplistic. But the choice of words that forms the original line needs to be very good (and it is). If it were not the the subsequent alteration of clauses, each subsequent new statement would not work.
Clever and thoughtful; the appearance of simplicity only adds.
Interestingly it has a zen like buddhist quality to it and also oddly reminds me of Japanese rock gardens. You gain a little more if you take more time with each clause/ statement.
My Best
Chris