spring break

I don't really have anything to say. But usually when this happens what is really on my heart and mind will appear, and make its symbolic presence known if I just keep writing. I mention the symbolic -because I have been teaching several poems to my German class. One of them is called "A Word" Ein Wort, Ein Satz-- aus Chiffern steigen..... A word, a sentence out of symbols climb. It goes on to explain how as we add symbols...like letters, together...it creates bigger and bigger meanings until it explodes, and all meaning has disappeared. It compares it to the vastness of the world, and how all is empty at the end around the world and I.

My students are too concerned about the details of translating, and memorizing the words to really catch the meaning of this, but I love this idea, and reminds me (once again) of my studies in Indiana, and how the artistic movement of surrealism is really bound up in this concept. Meaning is constructed--we have learned to represent meaning in certain ways, and because of this we have learned how to understand in certain ways. What happens if we blow this up? Somehow destroy our learned constructions, and let the symbols be just that? symbols. How do we do this? (through shock?) Where do we find meaning that isn't manually constructed?
In the symbols and objects themselves. Once we destroy your culturally constructed notions, this is all that is left--whether that leads us with emptiness, or truth...or perhaps both?

who is to say...
I don't really agree with this whole idea, but the concept of this is fascinating to me.