DESTROYED ON THE LATHE OF HEAVEN

Those whom Heaven helps we call the Sons of Heaven. Those who would by learning attain to this seek for what they cannot learn. Those who would by effort attain to this, attempt what effort can never effect. Those who aim by reasoning to reach it reason where reasoning has no place. To know to stop where they cannot arrive by means of knowledge is the highest attainment.
Those who cannot do this will be destroyed on the lathe of Heaven.
[Chuang-Tzu, XXIII, 7]

Chuang Tzu/ James Legge; and Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Lathe of Heaven"

Starlight asked Non-entity, saying, 'Master, do you exist? or do you not exist?' He got no answer to his question, however, and looked stedfastly to the appearance of the other, which was that of a deep void. All day long he looked to it, but could see nothing; he listened for it, but could hear nothing; he clutched at it, but got hold of nothing. Starlight then said, 'Perfect! Who can attain to this? I can (conceive the ideas of) existence and non-existence, but I cannot (conceive the ideas of) non-existing non-existence, and still there be a nonexisting existence. How is it possible to reach to this?'

Another said simply: Michelle

Another said simply: "Michelle Obama 2020 please Michelle Obama 2020 please Michelle Obama 2020 please"

Achmatova: only a wound/ sarà stata solo una ferita (1964)

И это станет для людей
Как времена Веспасиана,
А было это Ч только рана
И муки облачко над ней.
1964

And all this will become in time
Like the age of Vespasian,
And this was nothing but a wound
And a little cloud of pain.
1964  (tr. Peter Franco)

E tutto questo diventerà per la gente

Come il tempo di Vespasiano,

Ma non è stata che una ferita

E una piccola nube di dolore sopra di lei.(Roma, notte del 18 dicembre)

GC


This is one of her last poems; I don't think beauty can redeem suffering- but perhaps it may help keep the wound (and the rage, and the desire) open. Which is a basis later, maybe, for the edification of something new. Sometimes it works this way. Great poetry works this way. GC  (It may be that her suffering was redeemed the day the red flag was taken off from the Kremlin).


Questa è una delle sue ultime poesie; io non penso che la bellezza possa redimere la sofferenza- ma forse può tenere la ferita (e la rabbia, e il desiderio) aperti. Il che è una base più tardi, forse, per l'edificazione di qualcosa di nuovo. A volte funziona così. La grande poesia funziona così. 
GC   (Può essere che la sua sofferenza sia stata redenta il giorno in cui la bandiera rossa venne ammainata dal Cremlino).