04/11/2003 Entry: "Coffee Spoons."

In high school English we made a bit of fun of T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" ("Shall I eat a peach? Out loud?" Well, it was funnier when Patrick Lin said it) but this week I've been in a bit of an existential loop—not a funk, not a sad thing; just a bit contemplative—and have found a bit of resonance in it.

Should I, after tea and cakes and ices,
Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?
But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head [grown slightly bald] brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet—and here’s no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid.

At 16 I think I was too young to appreciate it, but didn't realize it at the time. I think they call this perspective. I wonder if this means I'm getting a little.

Replies: 2 comments

In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.

is the part I remember the best, the part that sinks into my heart is:

In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.

Posted by Colin @ 04/11/2003 01:09 PM PST

If my 20s were all about "getting some," my 30s are all about getting a little of what you're talking about.

Posted by Huntington @ 04/13/2003 06:26 PM PST