Wednesday, November 07, 2007

found prose

this from the well-annotated (as opposed to highlighted) student copy of the seamus heaney translation of beowulf i just picked up on line. respect to the author, whoever he (almost certainly a he) is.

New

Begin with a scene of men sitting around, at an airport or a bar or shopping mall, watching the game on TV. One guy looks around, takes stock, knows better, observes for a few minutes, then gets up and leaves. It is a waste of time and attention, and his time is better spent elsewhere, or in other pursuits. Then it can sort of be his subsequent rejecting of things, in turn, as he experiences them, perceives them, understands.

But what does he accept or embrace? What can he at last pursue and do and care about and pay attention to? What can he give himself to wholeheartedly and feel it is worthwhile?

What it means to settle on -- to choose -- those things that matter and focus on them; to live a life that matters by doing so.

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