The final piece in Michael Garriga’s triptych about the 1612 duel between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro…words of witness, helplessness and doubt.

WORK

“Master Lee, 23,
Tanka Poet & Disciple of Sasaki Kojiro
(with apologies for the poor translation)”

Cherry blossoms in full bloom—
Sunrise above water burns high—
man and fruit to fall too soon

at Noon, pale sun sits on high—
challenge! duel!—both day and we await

near Sunset he arrives, disheveled, late, insulting—
I say not his name—
look: winds in robes like dragon wings

mad, my master overplays his hand—
blood red as Sunset, as cherries

my world upended—rat kills cat—
I shall never follow another—
what use: world, water, fire, wind, void?

Yet still gull cries beyond me
Yet still pages set before me

Dusk comes, steals away our light—sun sets—
Darkness, moon has failed us—
what is left to do but weep?

Shall I now seek revenge for him?
Shall I suicide or use my pen?

—Michael Garriga
—from The Book of Duels

WORD(S)

glabella. noun. The space between the eyebrows starting from the base of the nose. From Latin glabellus “without hair, smooth,” which is the diminutive of glaber “smooth, bald.”

“I try to shout, but all that emerges is a pre-orgasmic ‘Gnnnn!’ and now the Craig doppelgänger’s pummelling me in the face with blows of a chronometric precision: ‘Paff! Paff! Paff! Paff! Paff! Paff! Paff!’ So hard that these bones are pulverized in this order: 1. glabella 2. nasal bone 3. supraorbital margin 4. superior orbital fissure 5. lacrimal bone 6. zygomatic bone 7. inferior orbital fissure.” (Will Self)

“Which should give you a free-floating septum. We use scissors to finish the job.” With dissecting scissors he undermined the septum along its sides and up over the bones as far as the glabella, at the top of the nose. (Thomas Pynchon)

“The old man in ”The Golden Honeymoon“ is not merely well done: he is perfect. And so is the girl in ”Some Like Them Cold.“ And so, even, is the idiotic Frank X. Farrell in ”Alibi Ike“ – an extravagant grotesque and yet quite real from glabella to calcaneus.” (H. L. Mencken)

WEB

1. “We can predict by analyzing their language, who will go on a date—who will match—at rates better than the people themselves.” → “Our Use Of Little Words Can, Uh, Reveal Hidden Interests”

2. Drag The Deletionist to your browser’s bookmark page and then create random erasure (the poetry form, not the 80s synthpop band) poetry from any web page.

3. “Altered Visions” → a curated collection of altered books and book art in a wide variety of styles.

4. ► Amy Winehouse covers The Beatles’ “All My Lovin’”. (hat-tip: sadly-not-a-reader D., who submits this as part of our ongoing conversation about best musical covers)

5. Today in 1987, on one of the many anonymous September 11ths before 9/11, Ronald Reagan proclaimed the day Emergency Number Day with these poetic words: “I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 11, 1987, as 9 - 1 - 1 Emergency Number Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” Ideas for what those appropriate ceremonies and activities might be are welcome.

REPRISES/RESPONSES/REJOINDERS/RIPOSTES

• Reader R. enjoys Katexic and goes on to say: “Every issue brings a wonderful discovery, such as Mary Beard. Not sure if you ever read this piece, but have a feeling you might enjoy ‘They’re Made of Meat’” — Thanks! I hadn’t read that Bisson story before, though I clearly remember, and recommend, his story “Bears Discover Fire”.

I welcome comments, suggestions, thoughts, feedback and all manner of what-have-you. Just press ‘Reply’ or email to: clippings@katexic.com.

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