Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 06:45:04 -0600
Subject: Re: paralogy


Wayne A. King wrote:
> 
> Can somebody give a specific example of writing that they consider an
> example of paralogy vs. another example that wouldn't?  Reply in private to
> e-mail address if you like.  Thanks.
> 
> Regards from Hoot Owl Hollow, Georgia
> Wayne King
> (http://www.freeyellow.com/members/waking)
> 
>To some extent the difference is similar to the distinction once made between poetry and prose: The writing of poetry is a dense pack of the paralogical.  The following is a classic poetry experiment from John Ashbery's The Tennis Court Oath, published in 1962. Compare this to any article in your daily newspaper.

LEAVING THE ATOCHA STATION
       by John Ashbery

The arctic honey blabbed over the report causing darkness 
And pulling us out of there experiencing it 
he meanwhile ... And the fried bats they sell there 
dropping from sticks, so that the menace of your prayer folds....
Other people ...               flash 
the garden are you boning 
and defunct covering ... Blind dog expressed royalties 
comfort of your perfect tar grams nuclear world bank tulip
Favorable	to         near the night pin
loading formaldehyde. the table torn from you
Suddenly       and we are close
Mouthing the root           when you think
generator	homes enjoy leered

The worn stool blazing pigeons from the roof 
	 driving tractor to squash 
Leaving the Atocha Station    steel 
infected bumps the screws
everywhere wells 
abolished top ill-lit 
scarecrow falls   Time, progress and good sense 
strike of shopkeepers dark blood 
no forest you can name drunk scrolls 
the completely new Italian hair ...
Baby ...     ice falling off the port 
The centennial       Before we can

old        eat 
members with their chins
        so high up               rats 
       relaxing the cruel discussion
  suds	the painted comers
white	most aerial
           garment crow
and when the region took us back 
the person left us like birds
it was fuzz on the passing light 
over disgusted heads, far into amnesiac 
permanent house depot       amounts he can
decrepit mayor ...         exalting flea

for that we turn around
experiencing it is not to go into
the epileptic prank forcing bar
to borrow out onto tide-exposed fells
over her morsel, she chasing you 
and the revenge he'd get 
establishing the vultural over 
rural area cough protection 
murdering quintet.  Air pollution terminal 
the clean fart genital enthusiastic toe prick album serious evening
flames
the lake over your hold        personality
lightened ...      roar
You are freed
including barrels
head of the swan      forestry
the night and stars fork
That is, he said
      and rushing under the hoops of 
equations probable
absolute mush       the right
entity	  chain store     sewer opened their books 
          The flood dragged you
 I coughed to the window
last month: juice, earlier
like the slacks                          to be declining
       the peaches      more
      fist
sprung expecting the cattle
false loam                    imports
next time around.