Poems (Marianne Moore)/WHEN I BUY PICTURES
Appearance
WHEN I BUY PICTURES
or what is closer to the truth, when I look at
that of which I may regard myself as the
imaginary possessor, I fix upon that which would
give me pleasure in my average moments: the satire upon curiosity,
in which no more is discernible than the intensity of the mood;
that of which I may regard myself as the
imaginary possessor, I fix upon that which would
give me pleasure in my average moments: the satire upon curiosity,
in which no more is discernible than the intensity of the mood;
or quite the opposite—the old thing, the medi-
æval decorated hat box, in which there
are hounds with waists diminishing like the waist of the hour-glass
and deer, both white and brown, and birds and seated people; it may be
no more than a square
of parquetry; the literal biography perhaps—in letters stand-
æval decorated hat box, in which there
are hounds with waists diminishing like the waist of the hour-glass
and deer, both white and brown, and birds and seated people; it may be
no more than a square
of parquetry; the literal biography perhaps—in letters stand-
ing well apart upon a parchment-like expanse;
or that which is better without words, which means
just as much or just as little as it is understood to
mean by the observer—the grave of Adam, prefigured by himself; a bed of
beans
or artichokes in six varieties of blue; the snipe-legged hiero—
or that which is better without words, which means
just as much or just as little as it is understood to
mean by the observer—the grave of Adam, prefigured by himself; a bed of
beans
or artichokes in six varieties of blue; the snipe-legged hiero—
glyphic in three parts; it may be anything. Too
stern an intellectual emphasis, i-
ronic or other upon this quality or that, detracts
from one's enjoyment; it must not wish to disarm anything; nor may the
approved tri-
umph easily be honoured—that which is great because something else
is small.
stern an intellectual emphasis, i-
ronic or other upon this quality or that, detracts
from one's enjoyment; it must not wish to disarm anything; nor may the
approved tri-
umph easily be honoured—that which is great because something else
is small.
It comes to this: of whatever sort it is, it
must make known the fact that it has been displayed
to acknowledge the spiritual forces which have made it;
and it must admit that it is the work of X, if X produced it; of Y, if made
by Y. It must be a voluntary gift with the name written on it.
must make known the fact that it has been displayed
to acknowledge the spiritual forces which have made it;
and it must admit that it is the work of X, if X produced it; of Y, if made
by Y. It must be a voluntary gift with the name written on it.