(1951):, PersonalPrologue ( ) andPersonalPostscript , compriseseveninvaluablepiecesofautobiography.
MoviestoSee
(2008):.
(2010):, thefilmstarsMiaWasikowskaasAliceKingsleighwithJohnnyDepp, ’s1865fantasynovelAlice’sAdventuresinWonderlandandits1871sequelThroughtheLooking-Glass.
PoemtoAppreciate
PoemaDeLosDones
byJorgeLuisBorges
Maynoneintearsorwithreproachthenslight
God’sstatementofHismastery,
Who, withmajesticirony,
Gavemeatonceboththesebooksandthenight.
Ofthesebooks, nowacity, lightlesseyes
Hemadetheowners; eyes, itseems,
Which, inlibrariesofdreams,
Couldonlyreadsomefoolishtractsthattie
Uponthemfoistsitsendlesstomes;
Astoilsomeasthoseancientrolls
InAlexandriadecayed.
Fromhungerandfromthirst (saysaGreektale)
Nearfontsandgardensdiesaking;
TheconfinesIroam, tiring
Ofthistall, deepandblindlibrary’spale.
Encyclopedias, atlases, theEast,
TheWest, centuries, dynasties,
Cosmos, symbols, cosmogonies
Arefêtedbythesewalls, ifuselessly.
Slowinmyshade, thishollowdarknessfree
WithdoubtingcaneIwillentice;
I, whoimaginedParadise
Asbeingbutakindoflibrary.
Somethingthatcertainlydoesnotentail
Thatbroadword “chance”—itrulesthesethings;
Once, manyblurryevenings
Anotherlosttobooksandtoourshade.
AsthroughslowgalleriesIgoastray,
Onesacredhorrorlikesthisplan:
ThatI’mthisother, thedeadman,
Perhapswiththesamestepsonthosesamedays.
Whatmattersthenthatwordwhichformsmyname,
(Whichofustwohasthisversespun,
OfpluralIandshadowone?)
Whenouranathemaisbutthesame?
GroussacorBorges, Ithusgazeupon
Ourworld, unforming, fadingfast
Topalestanduncertainash,
Akintosleepormereoblivion.
