I’m always reading something but I’m probably worse than ever at floating from book to book to book…and so on. This is not a bad method in so far as comparing ideas, and seeing how one mind sparks off another. It means it takes quite long to actually complete a book, though!

The first volume I read lately in one sitting and then re-read in another was the very delightful book of poems by Sarah Salway, titled Learning Springsteen on my Language App. (If you’ve been here a while you’ll know immediately why this was an insta-buy). The title poem is as delightful as I was hoping, but there are many memorable poems and lines. I’ll talk about one of them, and let you have the fun of reading the rest. In “She did her best” the line comes from a grave stone, and the poem thinks through how that might not be how the speaker would like to be remembered. She says, “It’s important to discuss how we want / to be remembered…” So many devoted and beloveds, all well and good, for sure. The poem ends beautifully:

finding always in the act of writing
the truth: a simple gravestone,
to die with all my words used up but one —

more.

(This reminded me of a post from a while back now referencing Amy Krouse Rosenthal for whom MORE was a word of note).

The book by Salway was a delight, and I’ll leave you with the opening to the first poem in the book, “A Dictionary of How to Live Properly,” because it’s SO relatable!

It’s alway out on loan but I know it must exist
because I can spot everyone who’s read it,

and then others, like me, who still hope
to rise to the top of the waiting list. Sometimes

when I’m in the library, I’ll pause by the gap
in the shelf where it should be sitting.

Like, yah, I’m just never getting that book, am I? :)

Next, I’ve been following the Daily Stoics guy on Instagram for a while and decided to re-read Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations (translated by Robin Hard) which Rob had tucked away on his art studio shelves. He’d dog-eared a few things and underlined some stuff, and then, so had I. In this re-reading though, I really found a lot of stuff that spoke to me, so there is yet another fresh layer of underlining.

“Given the material that is granted to you, what is the soundest thing that can be done or said?”

“The art of living is more like the wrestler’s art than the dancer’s in this regard, that it must stand ready and firm to meet whatever besets it, even when unforeseen.”

“When you want to gladden your heart, think of the good qualities of those around you…”

And lastly, this gem:

“To what purpose, then, am I presently using my soul? Ask yourself this question at every moment…”

I personally have very limited energy right now (I’m sure I’m not alone) and so I need to really just focus down and expend my energy with care. The meditations helped me think a few things through, and I’m glad I re-read them.

The last book I love so much I almost don’t want to share it, haha! But we all know that would be terrible karma! So here you go:

To Photograph is to Learn How to Die by Tim Carpenter is fucking great. Like, it slayed me. It’s everything I wanted in a book right now — philosophical thoughts on photography, with reference to writers, poets, photographers, just a whole swack of thinkers and dreamers and people looking, seeing, connecting stuff up. I love the way he writes it — layers and threads and digressions and bits and lovely pieces. It’s a book to think with, with which to think things through. It’s elegant and persistent and dexterous. Does that say anything? enough? If you love photography, taking photos, or just looking at photos, or if you enjoy seeing how an artist thinks, this book is for you. One day I’ll take a photo of all my dog-ears and underlinings in this one. On page 11, he simply says, “It feels lucky to have you here.” And really, every book should say that.

I just feel that so profoundly. Such a messed up time, and we’re all tired and some friends are suffering physically and mentally, and also intertwined, financially. Our compassion for each other is askew, it sort of has to be right? We’ve been through a lot and we’re pretending our hearts out that all is well because we need to to keep finding and seeing beauty in the world and to just keep the freak afloat. It’s actually amazing, how people are surviving, shining, in amidst all the trauma. And yah, sometimes we’re just trying our best, too, trying not to end up buried and gone. Trying to use our souls as best we can, remembering the good qualities of those around us. Doing what we can with what we have, remembering to give what grace we can.

Anyway, as Tim Carpenter says, it feels lucky to have you here.

September 5, 2023