Friday, April 16, 2010

The Secret of Life: Henry Miller



"Anyone who is interested in the secret of a thing is obsessed by that thing and thereby puts it beyond his grasp. The man who is in life and alive is not interested in the secret of life. A man who is interested in the secret of life is already dead. Of course it is easier for us to believe we are immortal; men have had this belief for thousands of years. They will continue to have this belief for thousands of years to come. There is nothing strange about it, nor is there anything strange about their holding the notion of mortality at the same time. The duality of man's nature is an ineluctable quality of man's consciousness; it is only the thinker that is absurd enough to try and argue it away."
Henry Miller, from The Hamlet Letters, #18, September 7, 1937




Thanks once again to Ed Baker for pointing the way.



This week's featured poem comes from Lilliput Review #88, a broadside issue entitled "Trimmed Lamps and Kerosene Barrels" by the inimitable Richard Houff. Enjoy.




Personal Styles In Neurosis
When you observe it,
look well within yourself.
Take notice, that all living
things have their fulfillment.
In the light, if you appear colder
than death, remember: you're a rock;
and I've been kind enough
to grant you an audience.
Richard Houff





And the master of the house:







the nightingale's secret--
the rubbish heap
is a luxury
Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue





best,
Don

8 comments:

  1. Human duality. The most amazing thing. How can people hold with equal fervor such diametrically opposed ideals?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Which is why poetry is all about the question and not the answer ...

    Thanks, Charles.

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vgY--BpGlw


    title: Henry Miller - Bathroom monologue

    ReplyDelete
  4. and... for those still wit "it"
    here is Monologue 2

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=TK1is6zo


    and here is a visit to NYC..

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=swzQPz8oB1w&feature=related

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ed, thanks ... don't know why but the urls don't work - they are right, but they don't work ...

    I just went into youtube and typed "Henry Miller Bathroom monologues" and up they come.

    Don

    ReplyDelete
  6. yeah I waas jus' about to "clue" UHAUL...

    my server just moved his entire operation from Texas to Washington, State and
    I can't seem to function (very well) with all this alternativety until he gets things "up" again

    check out part 2 AND there is/are some videos re: of Nin, too

    anyway...

    just in time for the weak-end, eh?

    ReplyDelete
  7. pee est...

    two of Henry Miller's greatest works...

    First Impressions of Greece
    (written in 1939 and given as a ms to his friend Seferis and published in 1973)

    ALSO most consider his greates work

    The Colosus of Maroussi..

    etc

    his friend, Anah-ees Nin is

    NO SLOUCH, either...

    some terrific "stuff" about her via google and that web-site re: her work...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ed, loved the Nin video on YouTube, thanks for more recommendations, lots coming in via Facebook ...

    Hope the server issues are resolved soon ...

    ReplyDelete