[New-Poetry] Quote du jour:

[Skip Fox]

A lilting Hobbesian recognition that, as Franklin suggested, "Necessity's a
mother." 

 

Seriously, I remembered the quote as "The advantage of having a sworn enemy
on one's border is incalculable," which I like better than the original
except for "hereditary" and, maybe, "on." I liked it so much in memory I
wanted to post so I looked it up.

 

Michael Serres's prose is often so provocative that it seems to mean many
things on reconsideration. I recommend his entire book _Genesis_ (U of
Michigan P).

 

In a way it _is_ Hobbesian, but the lilt seems to be in the fact of how its
realization is taken, not in despair, but as a definite human provocation.
(The quote, itself, is without tooth or fang, instead focusing on the
beneficial quality of the effect. Seems very mental, not abrasive in
torque.) Anyway . . .

 

-----Original Message-----
From: new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu
[mailto:new-poetry-bounces at wiz.cath.vt.edu] On Behalf Of Anny Ballardini
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 2:23 PM
To: NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News &Views
Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] Quote du jour:

 

I read the quote several times and every time I got a slightly new
interpretation. What does this mean to you?

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Skip Fox <mailto:skip at louisiana.edu>  

To: 'NewPoetry: <mailto:new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>  Contemporary Poetry
News &amp;Views' 

Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 6:12 PM

Subject: [New-Poetry] Quote du jour:

 

"The advantage of having at one's borders a hereditary enemy is immense."

--Michael Serres


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