Cathemeral Thinking

Adventures are more fun in company (he declares with nary a reference nor justification). After enjoying discussion groups for other books (Finnegans Wake esp., given its complexity), I dug around until I found the ProustianWay, a yahoo group for people reading Proust.

A few of those members are dropping in here, so welcome co-travelers, fellow adventurers!

Sunday, January 22, 2006

I.43

still moonlight--
seeming to be elsewhere,
precise muted strings

I.42

sitting on the foot
of my bed waiting for her--
silence

I.41

but the messenger
might be the sole ally--
"There is no answer."

I.40

I did not yet know
Swann would understand my pain--
love the messenger

I.39

finger bowls put round
note soon to be delivered--
Mamma not lost

I.38

lying to Françoise
to deliver my message--
the sealed envelope

I.37

Would Françoise carry
a message to my mother?
complex etiquette

I.36

missing my kiss,
I leave my heart with mother--
the stairs' varnished smell

Thursday, January 19, 2006

I.35

eyes glued to mother--
finding the exact spot
to place my kiss

I.34

Maulévrier's handshake,
ignorance or cozenage?
Swann notes Saint-Simon

I.33

but three or four books
give importance this life--
newspaper's wrapper

I.32

"nice neighbours"
Celine's thanks to Swann--
case of Asti

I.31

forthcoming anguish
insulated from feeling--
iron table

I.30

Mother corners Swann
to ask of his daughter--
I follow

I.29

Swann's the topic
of all thought and action--
I'll miss my kiss

I.28

grand-generation
ruled by contrariness--
a bribe of Asti

I.27

old biddies
avoiding worldy matters--
atrophied hearing

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

I.26

Swann in attendance
at Duc de X----'s luncheon
caught grandfather's ear

I.25

Swann's friends were common
by association,
revealed grandmother

I.24

early Swann of my mind
charming mistakes of my youth--
his aquiline nose

I.23

Swann plays piano--
our Combray garden not
high clubs and salons

I.22

in evening clothes
from dining "with a princess"--
aunt's sarcasm, knits

I.21

peeping over glasses,
she queries Swann on his
common lodgings

I.20

amusing stories
and a dull preciseness--
my great aunt doubts Swann

I.19

Swann's secret
of a brilliant social life
kept him in our caste

I.18

hand across forehead,
eyes rubbed and glasses wiped--
dead wife remembered

I.17

fetching the liquers
to appear ordinary--
Swann's voice

I.16

double tinkle
heralds Swann's late visit--
no kiss tonight

I.15

too short a kiss
was Mamma's painful goodnight--
that look!

I.14

in cowardice
crying in the attic--
orris-root scent

I.13

scolding grandfather's
forbidden taste of brandy,
she smiled

I.12

after dinner
grandmother walks in the rain
on too-straight paths

I.11

mystery, beauty
intrude on well-fit habits--
my doorknob

I.10

out of the forest
Golo rode for Geneviève--
shone on the wall

I.9

recalling
Balbec, Paris, and the rest--
lying awake

I.8

little room
high ceiling getting lower--
clock ticks

I.7

a winter nest--
snapshots of a horse
break into trot

I.6

Siena marble
in my Combray bedroom--
sunset's reflection