Comments on: Week 2: The White Hind

By: David Savarese

David Savarese — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:37:10 +0000

Love this catch.

By: Pocket Shelley

Pocket Shelley — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:44:53 +0000

I wondered about that line, too, as I blazed past. The Borges poem, wow. Thank you!

By: Terrell Willliamson

Terrell Willliamson — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:14:53 +0000

What great catch, Maria. I admit to having breezed right past that one. Like you, I wonder what else I’m missing as I read through the book for the second time.

The Borges poem clearly speaks to the realization of the fleeting nature of our existence, something one could expect Bolano to identify with as he wrote 2666.

By: Maria Bustillos

Maria Bustillos — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:34:24 +0000

Yes to Norton’s apparent indifference to the erotic mess. I have to say, I’ve known some women like this. Female Magoos who leave havoc in their wake without giving the matter much thought at all, just out of sheer boneheadedness, or “innocence” as the poet will have it. (Age 26, you know, I may have been a bit like that myself I admit.)

I’m so glad you guys liked the poem, I simply love it.

By: Susan Zenger

Susan Zenger — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:33:53 +0000

The “Hind”, translated as “Cierva” in Spanish translations that I have seen, is a recurrent figure in the Arabian Nights, which might have something to do with a Persian or Scythian link. In one well known story an infertile and jealous wife teaches herself sorcery to convert he husband’s slave and the son he had had with her into a cow and a calf. In the end her evil deed is discovered and she herself is turned into a hind.

Espinoza’s murmurings are definitely lyrical and the poem by Borges is great. Thanks

By: Dan Summers

Dan Summers — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:57:25 +0000

What a gorgeous poem. I remain deeply grateful for the depth of the reading going on at this site. I was struck by the loveliness of the reference to the white hind, but I would never have thought to dig this deeply.

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:49:54 +0000

Fantastic post.

“the gods that govern this peculiar world
let me dream you but not be your master”

is Liz in RE Espinoza (and every other man w/ whom she comes into contact as well) all over.

Possibly appropos of nothing, the “Hind” is also the NATO term for Soviet-era helicopter gunships. i.e. something that escorts the dead to the next world through kinetic force.

Which is how Liz strikes me- almost mechanically indifferent to the effect she has on our critics.