The anatomy of perception (3)

Another blogger to respond to Susan’s question about the senses – “Which do you think is the most important?” – was Siona, of Nomen est Numen. She opted for touch. In a subsequent post, she expanded on the theme.

I should make it clear that these poems in the “expected voices” of others are entirely acts of my own imagination. If you want to know what Siona – or Dale, or Susan – really think, read their blogs (all highly recommended, by the way). I hope it’s obvious that what I am trying to do here is extract details from various narratives that advance my own argument (such as it is). This very process of selection means that the “I” of these poems is really more me than anyone else.

Once again, the epigraph is from Pascal. (Tomorrow’s section should make it clear why I am using his writing in this context.)

3.

We think we are playing on ordinary organs when playing upon man. Men are organs, it is true, but odd, changeable, variable, with pipes not arranged in proper order. Those who know how to play on ordinary organs will not produce harmonies on these.

I am
all mem-
brane
it’s true

the brain itself
is an open
wound
folded
into a fist

skinny? but
skin’s at
a minimum on
someone
as thin
as me

bony, yes –
except this
skeleton has been
so brutal
bruising
my starved
flesh

back when I was
my own
demon lover
when I wanted
to feel
nothing-
ness

but recovery has
turned me out-
side in
a Möbius strip

I can shut
my eyes
& read the
world’s Braille
from within
the world

run your fingers
down along
my spine

do you feel how
my whole
body
blinks?

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