|
 |
t h e..g u i l d..o f..s u r g i c a l..a l c h e m i s t s
the work begins with her acceptance of a gift
an inexpensive watch perhaps
some poor example of a tool of her profession
which she will not recognise as secondhand
she arrives at the time appointed
( no: she comes there late )
in the former medical wing
of the halmstad university
( yes: the original building )
she had been reading
in the state of organised revolt
conformity becomes the only true rebellion
she arrives in time
& now is moving through the corridors
the doors here are perceptual
impossible to walk through
a door is opened to reveal a door behind
eventually there is a door made out of wood
she stands in front now
looking through the small square hole
behind the hole
a piece of paper, moving
right left down up
scratching, rustling
on the paper words & numbers
some of which are legible
:
at one point the phrase pful gui
passes briefly across the opening
beside the square hole is a piece of string
weighted by a pencil
with which she is perhaps expected
to write on the moving paper:
there is the implication of mathematics
at one point, on the surface is written
the birds of paper will not fly alone
some of the letters
do not look like letters
she cannot work the machine of paper & pencil:
another attempt is permitted
but the question has changed now, subtly
:
in the inner room she finds them waiting
disposed around the space in ones
all standing sitting patiently fingering the artefacts
each of them attending at a different junction
in the narrative
some carry unsheathed implements, as symbols
see we have collected all historic instruments
in maintenance of what is past
museum we are hospital are gallery
( brief extract from the physical catalogue
one manual of handwashing techniques
one porcelain sink, excessive pitted
one gas mask
one glass syringe )
do not suppose, however, we are antiquarians:
the adept holds to both the inner
& the outer work
ah we are practical men
this room that we are in
may be a text, some work of visual art
& yet you will agree, bears all
the outward hallmarks of a game
:
her eyes adapt
the room fills up with flasks & papers
instruments of surgery & language
charts, leaves, tapestries
her eye is drawn towards a quote
with a single error only
stripping apparent surfaces away
& revealing the infinite which was hid
& when she looks there is a wooden table
when she looks there is a mound of shavings on the wood
& when she looks the mound is the size of anatomy
:
& they are sweeping the shavings to the floor
when what is underneath is fully visible they stop
& in her hand an instrument appears
from somewhere a hand points to an eye
from nowhere a hand points to a heart
the impression of choice
where there is no choice
( the heart is opened to reveal an eye
the eye is opened to reveal a heart )
o corpus gloriosum
body academic
ah one body now
| |
|
|
|
