"The
angel would like to stay, awaken the dead, and make whole
what
has been smashed. But a storm is
blowing from Paradise . . ." —Walter
Benjamin, "Theses on the Philosophy of History"
I
Always
pay attention to
the man
behind the curtain.
II
All
things that we envy
are the
future.
III
Judgment
Day's wheat and chaff
is all
wheat.
IV
If you
would seek out God,
first
feed those who hunger.
V
The
soft voice of the past
gets
lost in a harsh wind.
VI
Even
the dead
are not
safe.
VII
Every
sign of civilization
is a
sign of barbarism.
VIII
The
revolt could not be put down
because
it never started.
IX
The angel
of history
is
turned toward the past.
X
Sometimes
to see ahead
you
must look the other way.
XI
Although
the planet rotates,
standing
still is standing still.
XII
Love of
the future inspires change
less
than hatred of the past.
XIII
If you
think you want perfection,
just
ask Eve and Adam.
XIV
The
past: a leaping tiger
stalking
the present.
XV
Calendars
do not measure time
in the
way that clocks do.
XVI
My
heart stops in the moment
not in
the past or future.
XVII
Time is
the tasteless seed
of
history's wholesome fruit.
XVIII
History
is not a rosary bead,
but
instead a constellation.
Poem posted in this space, October 26, 2009 To contact Michael Bennet send an email to Michael.Bennett@liu.edu
