________________________________________________________________________________________________
The first read of
is
the only one
to be graded:
It was assigned
at the end of
sophomore year
at
but
that conflicted with
three most disturbing words:
REQUIRED SUMMER READING
and
—of course—
I did not read it
Instead
I read
—cover-to-cover—
and
my sister Lynda
read
select Cliff Notes
to me
while I was on
and
my eyes were closed
My grade was
B+
_______________
_________
The second read
was fifteen years ago
and a page of
30 select quotes
is
still on file
somewhere
in my office
How much
of
the book
did I actually remember?
Virtually nil
because
©
If forgetting
was an art,
I'd be Van Gogh
then forget
where my ear was
and cut off
my toe
©
_______________
_________
The third read
was last month:
I read it
very slowly
and
carefully:
By far,
it was the most
satisfying read
________________________________________________________________________________________________
MOLL FLANDERS has been eternally
ReplyDeleteimbedded in our vocabulary:
The "Gun Moll" was named
in her honor.