Great Moments in Literature

And now for something I'm going to call great moments in literature, where I will periodically post some of the wise, funny, offensive or otherwise note worthy things I read. I love books and written language. Words intrigue me, fill me.

This is an excerpt from my all time favorite author, out of my all time favorite book. The book is called Bird by Bird. By Anne Lamott. If you have not read this book I would suggest you stop reading this post and go buy it. I can't even say what I find so wonderful about it, but even after the umptenth time reading it, my fingers still move over the pages as if it were an ancient sacred text.

This is a poem by Phillip Lopate, and the moment I read it I knew it was written just for me.

We who are
your closest friends
feel the time
has come to tell you
that every Thursday
we have been meeting,
as a group,
to devise ways
to keep you
in perpetual uncertainty
frustration
discontent and torture
by neither loving you
as much as you want
nor cutting you adrift.

Your analyst is
in on it
plus your boyfriend
and your ex-husband;
and we have pledged
to disappoint you
as long as you need us.
In announcing our
association
we realize we have
placed in your hands
a possible antidote
against uncertainty
indeed against ourselves.
But since or Thursday nights
have brought us
to a community
of purpose
rare in itself
with you as the natural center
we feel hopeful you
will continue to make unreasonable
demands for affection
if not as a consequence
of your disastrous personality
then for the good of the collective whole.


This is definitely a great moment in literature...and who hasn't felt like that every now and then?