( Post 11.14.09. Illustrations. )

(from M. Ondaatje, to dear Billy:)

As far as dress was concerned

He always looked as if 

He had just stepped out of a bandbox.

( wait wait wait)

BIGGER THAN you could heft in two arms, this gray ball, concrete, embossed with the silhouette of the contintents — through this ball passes a boundary that is hard to see but real enough see how these people this country call themselves after the equator. And it tears me apart how I am spreadlegged over the mystery, tugged where I am so south and tugged north an invisible string she tugs at me stop please continue.

other lines of note :

The ten foot length of a red-tailed boa which Rodrigo and I spread between us my end drooping it was that heavy.

The resolute forearm, paw curved, fried, unconnected to anything else was a guinea pig now an imaginary boundary on the table between my father and I and I have crossed it.

UPON MY arrival was I greeted.

MENAGERIE : a) title; b) Eddy, Prince Edward, our barker, geek; c) Bee, Beatrice, Beave, setter of meadows; d) Rotosaur, eater of cars and hardrock miners; e) X, X and X, keepers of the mystery; f) Bradypus, eater of the days, lookout.

MORE, please.