Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Overwhelmed by the Noumenal Realm

I was glancing into Timothy Steele's book about modern poetry at the library today, and I was struck by this passage:
Here it should be noted that the Kantian division of phenomena from noumena has had the effect of leading many poets to a concern with expressing the inexpressible. Extreme examples of this concern may be seen in the "sound poetry" of the Dadaists... Composition of this type does not refer to the phenomenal world, but is devoted wholly to noumenal essence.
Poems about
the inexpressable

Even when shouted
at high decibels

Tend to come out
"inaccessible."
at

2 comments:

  1. Twanna A. Hines | FUNKYBROWNCHICK.com7:09 AM

    I *LOVE* libraries!!! I especially loved the branch that was downtown. On Jackson, near the southern part of the loop, I think?

    New York has a little-known "Library Walk of Fame" or something like that. It's on 42nd near Madison. If look on the ground, and you'll see golden books (instead of stars) with really cool quotes on them.

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  2. Anonymous6:27 AM

    I love libraries and bookstores too. However, the one you mention on Jackson St in the South Loop, is horrendous--a terrible eye sore! A wierd kind of old-world prison fortress... or something.

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