Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Annotated Annotations
As an illustration of how my mind works, or doesn’t, late last night in bed I woke up with the idea of starting a new blog in which I would publish Songs and Letters one entry at a time from the very beginning, along with copious notes on each. I told myself that one of my goals would be to arrive at a definitive edition, which I would then publish in book form. Along the way, I was bound to find certain entries weak, or in need of an adjustment here and there. Then it occurred to me, as I lay there feverish and writhing, that this project would amount to reliving and rewriting the entire book. Presently, there are over 700 entries, and some of the entries contain numerous entries of their own — certain mini-journals or pages of haiku, for instance, or my Annotated Proverbs of Hell, in which I annotate each of William Blake’s Proverbs of Hell with a demented poem of my own. And then I thought, “But that means I’d be annotating my annotations!” Now, thank goodness, in the light of day, I think I might have been dreaming. On the other hand, maybe it is a good idea. Gad, what a life I live....
Update:
This entry added to News and Reviews.
2.21.2009 #2
2.21.2009 #1
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3 comments:
If you think you might like the result, get a notebook for the project in which you can list any thing you might revise; but hold back from making any revision until you have organized the entire book.
word verif.: twinala
I do like the idea of getting a notebook, but there is perhaps something to be said about the performance aspect of my idea, or dream, or whatever it is, because the entire book has been written in public. As I said, it’s a strange life I live.
I understand, for I live a strange life too.
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