Obituarium: Deadly Poet

Igmar Bergman died last night.
From the New York Times (July 30 2007):

Once, when asked by the critic Andrew Sarris why he did what he did, Mr. Bergman told the story of the rebuilding of Chartres Cathedral in the Middle Ages by thousands of anonymous artisans.

“I want to be one of the artists of the cathedral that rises on the plain,” he said. “I want to occupy myself by carving out of stone the head of a dragon, an angel or a demon, or perhaps a saint; it doesn’t matter; I will find the same joy in any case. Whether I am a believer or an unbeliever, Christian or pagan, I work with all the world to build a cathedral because I am artist and artisan, and because I have learned to draw faces, limbs, and bodies out of stone. I will never worry about the judgment of posterity or of my contemporaries; my name is carved nowhere and will disappear with me. But a little part of myself will survive in the anonymous and triumphant totality. A dragon or a demon, or perhaps a saint, it doesn’t matter!”

---------------------------------- requiescat in pace, Igmar. ----------

My Favorite Words 13: On Creation, Construction, The Arts.

The ultimate accomplishment in writing, composing, lyric writing, poetry, fiction, painting… in my humble estimation… is that the audience reads or hears or sees and not only suspends disbelief but, transcendently is taken up into the work or its performance.

"Jeenious"

__________________________

My Favorite Words 12: Politics 2

While there is a lower class, I am in it;
while there is a criminal element, I am of it;
while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.

Eugene Debs

__________________________

My Favorite Words 11: Hope, faith, belief. God

The angel said to me, “All that you have written is sure and will come true: the Lord God who inspires the prophets has sent his angel to reveal to his servants ‘what is soon to take place.’ ”

St. John The Divine

__________________________

O God, if I knew how you wish to be worshiped I would so worship you: but I do not know.

Zayd ibn Amr

__________________________

I do not distinguish between hope and belief.

Laurence Thornton

__________________________

I don't believe in God, but I miss Him.

Julian Barnes

__________________________