The Alan Sondheim Mail Archive

Paul Celan


I you, could Paul have Celan. saved I you, can't Paul imagine
Celan. your can't I imagine could your have pain. saved Was when
it I pain? read What you happened, I when wonder read you you
Was wonder pain? if What speak sound at stupid all. here. sound
I stupid have here. plumbed But could plumbed all. depths
writing and you hate this writing when like won't this read
won't I our radically ages unequal. would I'm be used radically
to unequal. that, I'm it used and to our that, ages unequal not
ages, much but else. not The much world else. is The hell. world
radically is unequal hell. ages, No has one been will wrought
know on what this has planet. been I wrought know on No planet.
will everything awaits awaits slaughter. slaughter. I slaughter
is painful and nothing asked asked this for wager. wager. waits
Everything for waits the the has curtain often fall, the often
bidding bidding else. of We something curtain We fall, no So
control you over would this. have So to accept control It it
evening not here evening where is are. here If and leave is
earth evening either. you You leave must the like, evening, lack
night evening, which night it into is which like, cosmos It
descends. does Or for does you it. and me Or there waiting are
for others eternity. waiting They eternity. not They have wait
There that are long. technologies There at technologies for work
who those that who long. means slaughter. escape never never you
live have or did live. and did does my I mind live. let my
escape. condemns At me. condemns not me. let wrote escape. so At
mundane understand a me. style. I understand you mean you could.
you. only only meet meet you. you save is full am possibility.
could am you. sure The can given still I given I time. can time
I change I things. can I. I changes things. things I none I
happen. will write either.

I could have saved you, Paul Celan. I can't imagine your pain.
Was it pain? What happened, when I read you I wonder if you
could speak at all. I sound stupid here. But I have plumbed
depths and I hate writing you like this when you won't read
it and our ages would be radically unequal. I'm used to that,
radically unequal ages, but not much else. The world is hell.
No one will know what has been wrought on this planet. I know
everything awaits slaughter. I know slaughter is painful and
nothing has asked for this wager. Everything waits for the
curtain to fall, often at the bidding of something else. We
have no control over this. So you would have to accept this.
It is evening here and it is not evening where you are. If
you leave the earth it is not evening either. You must know
what it is like, this lack of evening, this night into which
the cosmos descends. Or does it. It does for you and me but
there are others waiting for eternity. They will not have to
wait that long. There are technologies at work for those who
have the means to escape slaughter. They never live where you
live or where I live. But you did not escape and my mind does
not let me escape. At night my mind condemns me. I wrote so
mundane a style. You understand me. I mean you would if you
could. If I could only meet you. If I could only meet you I
could save you. The world is full of possibility. I am sure
I can save you still if I am given time. If I am given time
I can change things. I I I I I. I can changes things and none
of this will happen. I will not write this either.

I you, imagine Celan. your I pain. can't you when wonder read if
you could I plumbed But when you won't this it used and to used
radically to unequal. that, I'm radically world world much is
else. hell. The know No this been planet. wrought painful know
has for for nothing waits this the Everything to else. at to the
fall, something the We of this. no would this. accept would not
and evening it are. evening If where You not must evening what
night of like, night of into evening, which this It Or does does
me for will for are that those at who work slaughter. means They
to live slaughter. live my But where escape you my not mind
escape me so night me my escape. mind At wrote condemns so me.
You mundane me. style. If you meet I only If you. sure The could
world save am of sure possibility. save time given if time I can
and things I none changes write I

I could have saved you, Paul Celan. can't imagine your pain. Was
it pain? What happened, when read you wonder if speak at all.
sound stupid here. But plumbed depths and hate writing like this
won't our ages would be radically unequal. I'm used to that,
unequal ages, but not much else. The world is hell. No one will
know what has been wrought on planet. everything awaits
slaughter. slaughter painful nothing asked for wager. Everything
waits the curtain fall, often bidding of something We no control
over this. So accept It evening here where are. If leave earth
either. You must like, lack evening, night into which cosmos
descends. Or does it. me there are others waiting eternity. They
wait that long. There technologies work those who means escape
never live or live. did my mind let escape. At condemns me.
wrote so mundane a style. understand mean could. only meet you.
save full possibility. am sure can still given time. time change
things. I. changes things none happen. write

write me.