“All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjqonm_samuel­beckett­try­again­fail­again­fail­better­liam­neeson_creationSamuel Beckett

Worstward Ho is a prose piece by Samuel Beckett. Its title is a parody of Charles Kingsley's WestwardHo!. Written in English in 1983, it is the penultimate novella by Beckett.Together with Company and Ill Seen Ill Said, it was collected in the volume Nohow On in 1989.

Worstward Hoby Samuel Beckett

(Original in bold. Colin Greenlaw's "elaborations" in plain.Three short sections snipped.)

On. Say on. Be said on. Somehow on. Till nohow on.Said nohow on.On. I'll say on. (Let "on" be said.) I'll go on somehow. Tillnohow on. Till I say "nohow on".Say for be said. Missaid. From now say for missaid.I'll say "say" instead of "be said" (or instead of "missaid").From now on I'll say "say" instead of "missaid".Say a body. Where none. No mind. Where none. Thatat least. A place. Where none. For the body. To be in.Move in. Out of. Back into. No. No out. No back. Onlyin. Stay in. On in. Still.I'll say there's a body (where there isn't one). I won't saythere's a mind (where there isn't one). That at least istrue. I'll say there's a place (where there isn't one) for thebody: for it to be in and move in, and to move out of andmove back into again. No: the body doesn't move out ormove back. It stays in, it stays on in - unmoving.All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed.No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.Everything is as it was of old. There's never been anythingelse. I've never tried anything else, never failed at

anything else. But it doesn't matter: I'll try again, I'll failagain. I'll fail better than I did before.

First the body. No. First the place. No. First both.Now either. Now the other. Sick of the either try theother. Sick of it back sick of the either. So on.Somehow on. Till sick of both. Throw up and go.Where neither. Till sick of there. Throw up and back.The body again. Where none. The place again. Wherenone. Try again. Fail again. Better again. Or betterworse. Fail worse again. Still worse again. Till sick forgood. Throw up for good. Go for good. Where neitherfor good. Good and all.First, the body. No: first the place. No: first both of them- now one, now the other. When I'm sick of one I'll try theother. I'll go on like that (somehow go on) till I'm sick ofboth of them - till I throw up and go away to whereneither of them are. Till I'm sick of that too. Then I'll throwup and come back: to the body again (where there isn'tone), and to the place again (where there isn't one). I'lltry again and I'll fail again - fail better again. Or (better) I'llfail worse again, fail still worse again. Till I'm sick of it forgood, throw up for good, go away for good to whereneither of them are, for good: for good and all.It stands. What? Yes. Say it stands. Had to up in theend and stand. Say bones. No bones but say bones.Say ground. No ground but say ground. So as to saypain. No mind and pain? Say yes that the bones maypain till no choice but stand. Somehow up and stand.Or better worse remains. Say remains of mindwhere none to permit of pain. Pain of bones till nochoice but up and stand. Somehow up. Somehowstand. Remains of mind where none for the sake ofpain. Here of bones. Other examples if needs must.Of pain. Relief from. Change of.The body is standing. What? Yes, I'll say it's standing -that in the end it had to get up and stand. I'll say there arebones (there are no bones, but I'll say there are). I'll saythere's ground (there's no ground, but I'll say there is). So

that I can say there is pain. Can there be no mind and stillbe pain? I'll say yes there can, that the bones feel painuntil they have no choice except to stand up, somehow toget up and stand. Or (for better or worse) I'll say thereare remains, say there are remains of mind (where therearen't any), to permit of pain: pain in the bones till theyhave no choice but to get up and stand (somehow get up,somehow stand). I'll say there are remains of mind(where there aren't any), for the sake of pain. Here thepain is the bones' pain - but I'll give other examples ifneeds must, other examples of pain. And of relief frompain. (Or of change of pain.)All of old. Nothing else ever. But never so failed.Worse failed. With care never worse failed.Everything is as it was of old. There's never been anythingelse. But I have never failed so much, never failed worse(if I'm careful I'll never have failed worse).Dim light source unknown. Know minimum. Knownothing no. Too much to hope. At most mereminimum. Meremost minimum.There's a dim light, source unknown. (I must know theminimum. Could I know nothing? No, that's too much tohope for. At most I must know a bare minimum, themerest minimum.)No choice but stand. Somehow up and stand.Somehow stand. That or groan. The groan so long onits way. No. No groan. Simply pain. Simply up. A timewhen try how. Try see. Try say. How first it lay. Thensomehow knelt. Bit by bit. Then on from there. Bit bybit. Till up at last. Not now. Fail better worse now.The body has no choice but to stand - somehow to getup and stand, somehow stand. Either that or groan (thegroan that has been so long on its way). No, there's nogroan. There's simply pain, and simply standing up. Therewas a time when I'd have tried to find how it was (tried tosee, tried to say): how first it lay down, then somehowknelt (bit by bit), then went on from there (bit by bit), tillat last it stood up. But I won't do that now: now (forbetter or worse) I'll fail.

Another. Say another. Head sunk on crippled hands.Vertex vertical. Eyes clenched. Seat of all. Germ ofall.Another image (I'll say there's another): a head sunkdown on crippled hands - with its vertex vertical, its eyesclenched shut. (The head which is the seat of all and thegerm of all.)No future in this. Alas yes.There's no future in this. (But yes, alas - there is a futurein it.)It stands. See in the dim void how at last it stands.In the dim light source unknown. Before thedowncast eyes. Clenched eyes. Staring eyes.Clenched staring eyes.The body stands. See how at last it stands, in the dimvoid, in the dim light (source unknown) - before thedowncast eyes: the clenched eyes, the staring eyes, theclenched staring eyes.That shade. Once lying. Now standing. That a body?Yes. Say that a body. Somehow standing. In the dimvoid.That shade (once lying, now standing) - is that a body?Yes, I'll say that's a body. Somehow standing, in the dimvoid.A place. Where none. A time when try see. Try say.How small. How vast. How if not boundless bounded.Whence the dim. Not now. Know better now.Unknow better now. Know only no out of. Noknowing how know only no out of. Into only. Henceanother. Another place where none. Whither oncewhence no return. No. No place but the one. Nonebut the one where none. Whence never once in.Somehow in. Beyondless. Thenceless there.Thitherless there. Thenceless thitherless there.A place (where there isn't one). There was a time whenI'd have tried to see it, tried to say it: how small it was, orhow vast - what its boundaries were (if it wasn'tboundless). And where the dim light came from. But notnow, I know better now. Now I know better what I don't

know. I know only that there is no way out of it. I don'tknow how I know: I know only that there is no way outof it, only a way into it. So I'll say there's another(another place where there isn't one): a place to whichthere is no return, once it is gone out of. No, I won't saythat. There is no place except the one place: no placeexcept the one place (where there isn't one) - from whichthere is no way out, once it is gone into (somehow goneinto). A place with nothing beyond it. A place from whichthere is no way out and to which there is no way in. Noway out of it and no way into it.Where then but there see -Where but there, then, do I see –See for be seen. Misseen. From now see for bemisseen.[I'll say "see" instead of "be seen" (or instead of"misseen"): from now on I'll say "see" instead of"misseen".]Where then but there see now -Where but there, then, do I now see -First back turned the shade astand. In the dim voidsee first back turned the shade astand. Still.(First, with its back turned, the standing shade: first, inthe dim void, I see the shade standing with its backturned, unmoving).Where then but there see now another. Bit by bit anold man and child. In the dim void bit by bit an oldman and child. Any other would do as ill.Where then but there do I now see another shade. Bit bybit, I see an old man and child: in the dim void, bit by bit,an old man and child. (Any other shade would do as ill.)

Hand in hand with equal plod they go. In the freehands - no. Free empty hands. Backs turned bothbowed with equal plod they go. The child hand raisedto reach the holding hand. Hold the old holding hand.Hold and be held. Plod on and never recede. Slowlywith never a pause plod on and never recede. Backsturned. Both bowed. Joined by held joining hands.

Plod on as one. One shade. Another shade.Hand in hand with equal plod they go. In their freehands..... No: the free hands are empty. With their backsturned, and both bowed, with equal plod they go. Thechild has its hand raised to reach the hand holding it, tohold the old holding hand, to hold and be held. They plodon and never recede. Slowly with never a pause they plodon and never recede, with their backs turned and bothbowed, joined by held joining hands. They plod on as one- as one shade. (That's another shade.)Head sunk on crippled hands. Clenched staring eyes.At in the dim void shades. One astand at rest. Oneold man and child. At rest plodding on. Any otherswould do as ill. Almost any. Almost as ill.The head is sunk on crippled hands, its clenched eyesstaring at shades in the dim void: one shade standing atrest, one an old man and child (plodding on, but at rest).Any others would do as ill. (Almost any others would doas ill - almost as ill.)

They fade. Now the one. Now the twain. Now both.Fade back. Now the one. Now the twain. Now both.Fade? No. Sudden go. Sudden back. Now the one.Now the twain. Now both.They fade away - now the single shade, now the twain,now both together. Then they fade back - now the singleshade, now the twain, now both together. But do theyfade? No, they go suddenly, and suddenly come back:now the single shade, now the twain, now both together.Unchanged? Sudden back unchanged? Yes. Say yes.Each time unchanged. Somehow unchanged. Till no.Till say no. Sudden back changed. Somehowchanged. Each time somehow changed.Are they unchanged? Have they come back (suddenly)unchanged? Yes, I'll say yes, they're unchanged. Eachtime they are unchanged, somehow unchanged. Till no: tillI say no. Now they return (suddenly) changed - each timethey are somehow changed.

The dim. The void. Gone too? Back too? No. Say no.Never gone. Never back. Till yes. Till say yes. Gonetoo. Back too. The dim. The void. Now the one. Nowthe other. Now both. Sudden gone. Sudden back.Unchanged? Sudden back unchanged? Yes. Say yes.Each time unchanged. Somehow unchanged. Till no.Till say no. Sudden back changed. Somehowchanged. Each time somehow changed.The dim light, the void: have they gone too - and comeback too? No, I'll say no: they've never gone and nevercome back. Till yes: till I say yes. They've gone too, andthey come back too, the dim and the void: now one ofthem, now the other, now both together. Suddenlythey're gone, suddenly they're back. Are they unchanged?Have they come back (suddenly) unchanged? Yes - I'll sayyes: they are unchanged each time, somehowunchanged. Till no, till I say no: they come back(suddenly) changed, somehow changed. Each time theyare somehow changed.First sudden gone the one. First sudden back.Unchanged. Say now unchanged. So far unchanged.Back turned. Head sunk. Vertex vertical in hat.Cocked back of black brim alone. Back of blackgreatcoat cut off midthigh. Kneeling. Better kneeling.Better worse kneeling. Say now kneeling. From nowkneeling. Could rise but to its knees. Sudden gonesudden back unchanged back turned head sunk darkshade on unseen knees. Still.The single shade is gone (suddenly) first, then (suddenly)it comes back first - unchanged. (For now I'll say it'sunchanged - so far unchanged.) The back is turned, thehead sunk. The vertex is vertical, in a hat. Only the cockedback of the hat's black brim is to be seen. The back of theblack greatcoat is cut off at midthigh. Or it's kneeling - it'sbetter kneeling. For better or worse it's kneeling. (Fornow I'll say it's kneeling: from now on it's kneeling.) Itcould get up only as far as its knees. It's gone (suddenly),and it comes back (suddenly) unchanged: with its backturned and its head sunk, a dark shade on unseen

knees.Unmoving.

Next sudden gone the twain. Next sudden back. Saynow unchanged. So far unchanged. Backs turned.Heads sunk. Dim hair. Dim white and hair so fair thatin that dim light dim white. Black greatcoats to heels.Dim black. Bootheels. Now the two right. Now thetwo left. As on with equal plod they go. No ground.Plod as on void. Dim hands. Dim white. Two free andtwo as one. So sudden gone sudden back unchangedas one dark shade plod unreceding on.Next the twain are gone (suddenly), then back(suddenly). (For now I'll say they're unchanged - so farthey're unchanged.) Their backs are turned and theirheads sunk. Their hair is dim: one dimly white and theother so fair that it looks dimly white in that dim light.Black greatcoats (dim black) reach to their heels (theheels of boots). Now the two right heels, now the twoleft, as on they go with equal plod. There is no ground:they plod as if on a void. Their hands are dim - dimlywhite: two of them free, and two of them together as ifthey were one hand. Thus they plod on without receding(suddenly gone, then suddenly back unchanged), like asingle dark shade.The dim. Far and wide the same. High and low.Unchanging. Say now unchanging. Whence noknowing. No saying. Say only such dim light asnever. On all. Say a grot in that void. A gulf. Then inthat grot or gulf such dimmest light as never.Whence no knowing. No saying.The dim is the same far and wide and high and low,unchanging (for now I'll say it's unchanging). There's noknowing where it comes from - and no saying. I'll say onlythat it's such dim light as never was before: oneverything. I'll say there's a grotto, in that void. Or a gulf.Then in that grotto or gulf there is such dimmest light asnever was before. There's no knowing where it comesfrom. (And no saying.)The void. Unchanging. Say now unchanging. Void

were not the one. The twain. So far were not the oneand twain. So far.The void is unchanging (for now I'll say it's unchanging). Itwould be a void were it not for the single shade, and forthe twain: so far it would be, were it not for the singleshade and for the twain. So far away.The void. How try say? How try fail? No try no fail.Say only -The void: how shall I try to say that? How try to fail tosay it? I won't try, I won't fail: I'll say only –First the bones. On back to them. Preying since firstsaid on foresaid remains. The ground. The pain. Nobones. No ground. No pain. Why up unknown. At allcosts unknown. If ever down. No choice but up ifever down. Or never down. Forever kneeling. Betterforever kneeling. Better worse forever kneeling. Sayfrom now forever kneeling. So far from now foreverkneeling. So far.Before that, the bones. I'll go on back to the bones (theyhave been preying, since first mentioned, on the remainsof mind previously mentioned), and back to the ground,and to the pain: there are no bones, no ground, no pain.Why the body stood up is unknown, at all costs unknown(if it was ever lying down). It had no choice but to get up(if it was ever lying down). Or perhaps it was never lyingdown: perhaps it's been kneeling for ever. Yes, it's betterif it's been kneeling for ever. For better or worse it's beenkneeling for ever. From now on I'll say it's been kneelingfor ever. From now on (so far) I'll say it's been kneelingfor ever. So far away.The void. Before the staring eyes. Stare where theymay. Far and wide. High and low. That narrow field.Know no more. See no more. Say no more. Thatalone. That little much of void alone.The void: it's before the staring eyes, stare where theymay - far and wide, high and low (that narrow field). Iknow no more, I see no more, I'll say no more than that,that alone: I'll say only that (that little much) about thevoid.

On back to unsay void can go. Void cannot go. Savedim go. Then all go. All not already gone. Till dimback. Then all back. All not still gone. The one can go.The twain can go. Dim can go. Void cannot go. Savedim go. Then all go.I'll go on back to unsay that the void can go: the voidcannot go unless the dim goes - and then all will go (allthat has not already gone) till the dim comes back: thenall will come back (all that is not still gone). The singleshade can go, the twain can go, the dim can go: but thevoid cannot go unless the dim goes. And then all goes.On back better worse to fail the head said seat of all.Germ of all. All? If of all of it too. Where if not there ittoo? There in the sunken head the sunken head. Thehands. The eyes. Shade with the other shades. Inthe same dim. The same narrow void. Before thestaring eyes. Where it too if not there too? Ask not.No. Ask in vain. Better worse so.I'll go on back (for better or worse), to fail the head - saidto be the seat of all and the germ of all. Of all? If it's theseat of all it's the seat of itself as well. And where if notthere should it not be, as well? A sunken head in a sunkenhead, along with the hands and the eyes: a shade withthe other shades, in the same dim, the same narrow void,before the staring eyes. Where should it be (as well) if notthere as well? Don't ask. No: ask in vain. (For better orworse, that's how it is.)The head. Ask not if it can go. Say no. Unasking no.It cannot go. Save dim go. Then all go. Oh dim go. Gofor good. All for good. Good and all.The head. Don't ask if it can go: say it can't, withoutasking. It cannot go unless the dim goes - and then allgoes. Oh let the dim go, go for good! Let all go for good:for good and all.Whose words? Ask in vain. Or not in vain if say noknowing. No saying. No words for him whose words.Him? One. No words for one whose words. One? It.No words for it whose words. Better worse so.Whose words are these? It's in vain to ask. Or not in vain

if (for example) there's no knowing, no saying: if thereare no words for him whose words these are. For him?Not for him - for one: if there are no words for onewhose words these are. One? Not one - it: if there are nowords for it whose words these are. For better or worsethat's how it is.Something not wrong with one. Meaning - meaning! -meaning the kneeling one. From now one for thekneeling one. As from now two for the twain. The asone plodding twain. As from now three for the head.The head as first said missaid. So from now. For togain time. Time to lose. Gain time to lose. As the soulonce. The world once.There's something not wrong with one. Meaning -meaning! - the kneeling one. From now on I'll say "one"for the kneeling one. Just as from now on I'll say "two"for the twain (the twain plodding on as if they were one)and "three" for the head. (The head which, as was firstsaid, is missaid.) That's what I'll do from now on. To gaintime - time to lose. Gain time to lose. (As once the soulwas lost, as once the world was gained.)Something not wrong with one. Then with two. Thenwith three. So on. Something not wrong with all. Farfrom wrong. Far far from wrong.There's something not wrong with one. Then with two,then with three - and so on. There's something not wrongwith all of them - something far from wrong, somethingfar far from wrong.The words too whosesoever. What room for worse!How almost true they sometimes almost ring! Howwanting in inanity! Say the night is young alas andtake heart. Or better worse say still a watch of nightalas to come. A rest of last watch to come. And takeheart.It's the same for the words as well, whoever's they are.What scope there is for them to be worse than they are!How they almost ring almost true sometimes! Howwanting in inanity they are! But I'll say the night is young(alas), and take heart from that. Or (for better or worse)

I'll say that a watch of night is still to come (alas), that therest of the last watch is to come. And take heart fromthat.First one. First try fail better one. Something therebadly not wrong. Not that as it is it is not bad. The noface bad. The no hands bad. The no -. Enough. A poxon bad. Mere bad. Way for worse. Pending worsestill. First worse. Mere worse. Pending worse still.Add a -. Add? Never. Bow it down. Be it bowed down.Deep down. Head in hat gone. More back gone.Greatcoat cut off higher. Nothing from pelvis down.Nothing but bowed back. Topless baseless hindtrunk.Dim black. On unseen knees. In the dim void. Betterworse so. Pending worse still.First "one": first I'll try to fail "one" better. Somethingthere is badly not wrong. Not that it's not bad as it is: nothaving a face is bad, not having hands is bad, not.....Enough: a pox on bad, on mere bad - to make way forworse (pending worse still). First the worse, mere worse(pending worse still). Add a..... Add? Never. Bow it down,let it be bowed down, deep down. The head in its hat isgone from view, more of the back is gone. The greatcoatis cut off higher up than it was, there is nothing from thepelvis down. There is nothing but the bowed back, theback of a topless baseless trunk in the dim blackness,kneeling on unseen knees in the dim void. That's how it is(for better or worse), pending something worse still.

Next try fail better two. The twain. Bad as it is as itis. Bad the no -Next I'll try to fail "two" better (the twain) - bad as it is asit is. Bad the no -

First back on to three. Not yet to try worsen. Simplybe there again. There in that head in that head. Be itagain. That head in that head. Clenched eyesclamped to it alone. Alone? No. Too. To it too. Thesunken skull. The crippled hands. Clenched staringeyes. Be that shade again. In that shade again. With

the other shades. Worsening shades. In the dimvoid.First I'll go back on to "three". Not yet to try and worsenit: I'll simply be there again, there inside that head insidethat head. I'll be it again, that head inside that head. Theclenched eyes will be clamped to it alone. Alone? No, notalone: as well. Those clenched staring eyes will beclamped to it as well - to it as well as to the sunken skulland to the crippled hands. I'll be that shade again, be inthat shade again - along with the other shades, theworsening shades. In the dim void.Next -Next -First how all at once. In that stare. The worsenedone. The worsening two. And what yet to worsen. Totry to worsen. Itself. The dim. The void. All at once inthat stare. Clenched eyes clamped to all.First I'll say how they are all there at once, in that stare:the worsened "one", the worsened "two" and what is yetto worsen (to try to worsen, to worsen itself). And thedim. And the void. They are all there at once in that stare:the clenched eyes are clamped to them all.Next two. From bad to worsen. Try worsen. Frommerely bad. Add -. Add? Never. The boots. Betterworse bootless. Bare heels. Now the two right. Nowthe two left. Left right left right on. Barefootunreceding on. Better worse so. A little better worsethan nothing so.Next "two" - to worsen it from what is already bad (to tryto worsen it). Add..... Add? Never. The boots: for betteror worse they are bootless, their heels are bare. Now thetwo right heels, now the two left: left right, left right theyplod on. Barefoot they plod on, unreceding. For better orworse, that's how it is: a little better or worse thannothing, that's how it is.Next the so-said seat and germ of all. Those hands!That head! That near true ring! Away. Full face fromnow. No hands. No face. Skull and stare alone. Sceneand seer of all.

Next, the so-called seat and germ of all. (Those hands!That head! Which so nearly ring true! Away with them.) Itwill be full face from now on. No hands, no face, just theskull and the stare alone: the scene and see-er ofeverything.

On. Stare on. Say on. Be on. Somehow on. Anyhowon. Till dim gone. At long last gone. All at long lastgone. For bad and all. For poor best worst and all.On: go on staring, go on saying, go on being - somehowgo on, go on anyhow. Until the dim has gone, at long lastgone, and all has at long last gone, for bad and all (for apoor-best attempt to be worst and all).Dim whence unknown. At all costs unknown.Unchanging. Say now unchanging. Far and wide. Highand low. Say a pipe in that void. A tube. Sealed. Thenin that pipe or tube that selfsame dim. Old dim.When ever what else? Where all always to be seen.Of the nothing to be seen. Dimly seen. Nothing everunseen. Of the nothing to be seen. Dimly seen.Worsen that?It's not known where the dim comes from (at all costs it'snot known). It's unchanging (for now I'll say it'sunchanging). It's far and wide and high and low. I'll saythere's a pipe in that void, or a tube. Sealed. Then insidethat pipe or tube is the selfsame dim, the old dim. (Whatelse has there ever been?) Where all is always to be seen(dimly seen) of the nothing to be seen. Nothing of thenothing to be seen (dimly seen) is ever unseen. (Can thatbe made worse?)Next the so-said void. The so-missaid. That narrowfield. Rife with shades. Well so-missaid. Shade-riddenvoid. How better worse so-missay?Next the so-called void, the so-miscalled void - thatnarrow field rife with shades. It's well so-miscalled, thatshade-ridden void. How (for better or worse) did I somiscall it?Add others. Add? Never. Till if needs must. Nothingto those so far. Dimly so far. Them only lessen. But

with them as they lessen others. As they worsen. Ifneeds must. Others to lessen. To worsen. Till dim go.At long last go. For worst and all.Add others. Add? Never. Till and if needs must. I'll addnothing to those here so far (dimly here so far). Them Iwill only lessen. But with them as they lessen (as theyworsen) there will be others, if needs must - others tolessen and to worsen. (Till the dim goes, at long last goes,for worst and all.)On. Somehow on. Anyhow on. Say all gone. So on. Inthe skull all gone. All? No. All cannot go. Till dim go.Say then but the two gone. In the skull one and twogone. From the void. From the stare. In the skill allsave the skull gone. The stare. Alone in the dim void.Alone to be seen. Dimly seen. In the skull the skullalone to be seen. The staring eyes. Dimly seen. Bythe staring eyes. The others gone. Long suddengone. Then sudden back. Unchanged. Say nowunchanged. First one. Then two. Or first two. Thenone. Or together. Then all again together. The bowedback. The plodding twain. The skull. The stare. Allback in the skull together. Unchanged. Stare clampedto all. In the dim void.On. Go on somehow, go on anyhow. I'll say that all hasgone. (That's how I'll go on.) In the skull all has gone. All?No: all cannot go till the dim goes. I'll say, then, that onlytwo have gone: in the skull, "one" and "two" have gone -gone from the void, gone from the stare. In the skull, allhave gone save the skull itself, and the stare. They arealone in the dim void - they alone are to be seen (dimlyseen): in the skull they alone are to be seen. The staringeyes are dimly seen by the staring eyes. The others havegone, long ago suddenly gone. Then suddenly they comeback, unchanged (for now I'll say they're unchanged): first"one" then "two", or first "two" then "one". Or together:then they all come back again together. The bowed back,the plodding twain, the skull, the stare - they all comeback in the skull together, unchanged, with the stareclamped to all of them. In the dim void.

The eyes. Time to -The eyes. Time to -.First on back to unsay dim can go. Somehow onback. Dim cannot go. Dim to go must go for good.True then dim can go. If but for good. One can go notfor good. Two too. Three no if not for good. With dimgone for good. Void no if not for good. With all gonefor good. Dim can worsen. Somehow worsen. Go no.If not for good.First I'll go on back to unsay that the dim can go(somehow I'll go on back). The dim cannot go. If the dimwere to go it would go for good. It's true, then, that thedim can go - though only if it goes for good. "One" can gowithout being gone for good. So can "two". But "three"can't go without being gone for good (gone for goodalong with the dim). The void can't go without being gonefor good (gone for good along with all). The dim canworsen, somehow worsen: but it can't go, without beinggone for good.The eyes. Time to try worsen. Somehow try worsen.Unclench. Say staring open. All white and pupil. Dimwhite. White? No. All pupil. Dim black holes.Unwavering gaping. Be they so said. With worseningwords. From now so. Better than nothing sobettered for the worse.The eyes. It's time to try and worsen them, somehow tryand worsen them. I'll unclench them: I'll say they'restaring wide open, all white and pupil (dim white). White?No - they're all pupil: dim black holes, gapingunwaveringly. Let them be said like that, with worseningwords: from now on let them be said like that. It's betterthan nothing for them to be bettered like that, for theworse.Still dim still on. So long as still dim still somehow on.Anyhow on. With worsening words. Worsening stare.For the nothing to be seen. At the nothing to beseen. Dimly seen. As now by way of somehow onwhere in the nowhere all together? All threetogether. Where there all three as last worse seen?

Bowed back alone. Barefoot plodding twain. Skull andlidless stare. Where in the narrow vast? Say onlyvasts apart. In that narrow void vasts of void apart.Worse better later.The dim is here still, I'll still go on. So long as the dim is stillhere I'll still go on somehow, go on anyhow - withworsening words. And with a worsening stare for thenothing to be seen, at the nothing to be seen (dimlyseen). Just as now (by way of somehow going on) I tryto see where, in the nowhere, they are all together, allthree together. Where, in that nowhere, are all the threeas I last worse-saw them? The single bowed back, thetwain plodding barefoot, the skull and the lidless stare:where, in the narrow vast, are they? I'll say only that theyare vast expanses apart: in that narrow void they arevast expanses of void apart. (Later I'll worsen thembetter.)What when words gone? None for what then. Butsay by way of somehow on somehow with sight todo. With less of sight. Still dim and yet -. No. Nohowso on. Say better worse words gone when nohow on.Still dim and nohow on. All seen and nohow on. Whatwords for what then? None for what then. No wordsfor what when words gone. For what when nohowon. Somehow nohow on.What when words have gone? There are no words forwhat then. But I'll say (by way of somehow going on)that it's somehow to do with sight - with less of sight.There's still the dim and yet..... No, there's no way on likethat. Suppose (for better or worse) that words are goneat a time when there's no way on: that the dim is stillthere yet there's no way on, that all is seen yet there's noway on. What words are there for what then? There areno words for what then: no words for what when wordsare gone, for what when there is no way on (somehowno way on).Worsening words whose unknown. Whenceunknown. At all costs unknown. Now for to say asworst they may only they only they. Dim void

shades all they. Nothing save what they say.Somehow say. Nothing save they. What they say.Whosesoever whencesoever say. As worst they mayfail ever worse to say.Worsening words: whose they are unknown, where theycome from unknown (at all costs unknown). Now it's forthem to say (as worst they may, only they) that there'sonly they. The dim and the void and the shades are allwords. There is nothing except what the words say(somehow say). There is nothing except them, nothingexcept what they say - whoever's they are, whereverthey come from. (As they may fail worst to say everworse.)Remains of mind then still. Enough still. Somewhosesomewhere somehow enough still. No mind and nowords? Even such words. So enough still. Justenough still to joy. Joy! Just enough still to joy thatonly they. Only!There are still remains of mind then, still enough: stillenough of someone's, somewhere, somehow. Can therebe no mind and yet be words? Even such words as these?So there are enough remains of mind still - still justenough to joy. (Joy!) Just enough still to joy that thereare only they. (Only!)Enough still not to know. Not to know what they say.Not to know what it is the words it says say. Says?Secretes. Say better worse secretes. What it is thewords it secretes say. What the so-said void. Theso-said dim. The so-said shades. The so-said seatand germ of all. Enough to know no knowing. Noknowing what it is the words it secretes say. Nosaying. No saying what it is they somehow say.There are still enough remains of mind to allow me not toknow: not to know what they say, not to know what it isthat the words the mind says say. ("Says"? Secretes,rather - for better or worse I'll say "secretes".) What it isthe words it secretes say, what the so-called void says,what the so-called dim says, what the so-called shadessay, what the so-called seat and germ of all says. It's

enough to know that there is no knowing: no knowingwhat it is that the words it secretes say, and no saying it -no saying what it all is that they somehow say.That said on back to try worse say the ploddingtwain. Preying since last worse said on foresaidremains. But what not on them preying? What seen?What said? What of all seen and said not on thempreying? True. True! And yet say worst perhapsworst of all the old man and child. That shade at lastworse seen. Left right left right barefoot unrecedingon. They then the words. Back to them now for wantof better on and better fail. Worser fail that perhapsof all the least. Least worse failed of all the worsefailed shades. Less worse than the bowed backalone. The skull and lidless stare. Though they toofor worse. But what not for worse. True. True! Andyet say first the worst perhaps worst of all the oldman and child. Worst in need of worse. Worst in –

That said, I'll go on back to try and worse-say theplodding twain. Since they were last worse-said they havebeen preying on the foresaid remains of mind. But whathas not been preying on the remains? What has beenseen, what has been said - what of all that has been seenand said has not been preying on the remains of mind?True. (That's something true!) And yet I'll worst-say(perhaps worst of all) the old man and child: that shadeas it was when last worse-seen - plodding on barefoot(left foot, right right), unreceding. I'll worst-say them,then worst-say the words: I'll go back to them now, forwant of any better way to go on, for want of any betterway to fail. Perhaps I'll worser-fail that least of all. Thatmay be the least worse-failed of all the worse-failedshades - less worse-failed than the single bowed back,less worse-failed than the skull and the lidless stare.Though they too have been failed for the worse. But whathas not been failed for the worse? True. (That'ssomething true!) And yet I'll first worst-say (perhaps

worst of all) the old man and child. A worst in need ofworse. A worst in -

Blanks for nohow on. How long? Blanks how long tillsomehow on? Again somehow on. All gone whennohow on. Time gone when nohow on.The blank spaces are for when there is no way on. Howlong do they last? How long do the blanks last till Isomehow go on, again somehow go on? (All is gonewhen there's no way on. Time is gone when there's noway on.)

Worse less. By no stretch more. Worse for want ofbetter less. Less best. No. Naught best. Best worse.No. Not best worse. Naught not best worse. Lessbest worse. No. Least. Least best worse. Leastnever to be naught. Never to naught be brought.Never by naught be nulled. Unnullable least. Say thatbest worst. With leastening words say least bestworse. For want of worser worse. Unlessenable leastbest worse.Worse is less (by no stretch of the imagination is it more)- worse (for want of anything better) is less: less is best.No: naught is best - best in a worse way. No: that's notbest in a worse way. Naught is not best in a worse way:less is best in a worse way. No: least is, least is best in aworse way - least which is never to be naught, never tobe brought to naught, never by naught to be nulled, leastwhich is unnullable. I'll say that’s what’s best in the worstway: with leastening words I'll say, at least, that that’swhat’s best in a worse way. (For want of worser it's bestin a worse way.) Unlessenable least is best in a worseway.The twain. The hands. Held holding hands. Thatalmost ring! As when first said on crippled hands thehead. Crippled hands! They there then the words.Here now held holding. As when first said. Ununsaidwhen worse said. Away. Held holding hands!The twain. The hands. The held and holding hands that

almost ring true! As it was when first said, the head issunk on crippled hands. (Crippled hands! The hands werethere, then the words.) Here, now, there are the held andholding hands, as they were when first said. (They weren'tunsaid when they were worse-said.) Away with them.Held and holding hands!The empty too. Away. No hands in the -. No. Savefor worse to say. Somehow worse somehow to say.Say for now still seen. Dimly seen. Dim white. Twodim white empty hands. In the dim void.The empty hands too: away with them! There are nohands in the -. No: save that, to keep something worseto say (somehow worse, somehow to say). For now I'llsay the empty hands are still seen (dimly seen). They aredim white - two dim white empty hands. In the dim void.So leastward on. So long as dim still. Dim undimmed.Or dimmed to dimmer still. To dimmost dim.Leastmost in dimmost dim. Utmost dim. Leastmostin utmost dim. Unworsenable worst.Thus they plod on towards the least, so long as there isdim still, undimmed dim. Or dim dimmed to dimmer still,to the most dim dim. They plod on leastmost in the mostdim dim, in the utmost dim. They plod on leastmost in theutmost dim, in the unworsenable worst.What words for what then? How almost they stillring. As somehow from some soft of mind they ooze.From it in it ooze. How all but uninane. To lastunlessenable least how loath to leasten. For then inutmost dim to unutter leastmost all.What words for what then? How they almost ring truestill, as they somehow ooze from some soft part of themind! (Ooze from it and ooze in it.) How almost notinane they are! How loath they are to leasten to the lastunlessenable least - how loath then, in the utmost dim, tounsay leastmost everything.So little worse the old man and child. Gone heldholding hands they plod apart. Left right barefootunreceding on. Not worsen yet the rift. Save forsome after nohow somehow worser on.

The old man and the child are so little worse! With theheld and holding hands gone, they plod on apart:barefoot, left then right, they plod on unreceding. I won'tyet worsen the rift between them: save that for sometime when I somehow go on worser (after there's no wayon).

On back to unsay clamped to all the stare. No butfrom now to now this and now that. As now fromworsened twain to next for worse alone. To skull andstare alone. Of the two worse in want the skullpreying since unsunk. Now say the fore alone. Nodome. Temple to temple alone. Clamped to it andstare alone the stare. Bowed back alone and twainblurs in the void. So better than nothing worse shadethree from now.I'll go on back to unsay that the stare is clamped to all theshades at once. No: but from now on I'll say it's clampednow to this shade, now to that shade. Just as it nowmoves away from the worsened twain to the next shadealone, then to the skull and the stare alone. Of the two,the worse in need is the skull which has been preying onthe remains of mind ever since it ceased to be sunk onthe crippled hands. Now I'll say the forehead alone is to beseen - no dome, only from temple to temple. The stare isclamped only to that and to the stare itself: the singlebowed back and the twain are blurs in the void. So, forbetter or worse than nothing, from now on the stare isclamped to shade three.

Somehow again on back to the bowed back alone.Nothing to show a woman's and yet a woman's.Oozed from softening soft the word woman's. Thewords old woman's. The words nothing to showbowed back alone a woman's and yet a woman's. Sobetter worse from now that shade a woman's. Anold woman's.Somehow I'll again go on back to the bowed single back.There's nothing to show it's a woman's back, and yet it is

a woman's back. (The word "woman's" oozed from thesoftening soft part of the mind; and the words "oldwoman's"; and the words "nothing to show", "bowedback alone" and "a woman's and yet a woman's".) Sofrom now on, for better or worse, I'll say that shade is awoman's (an old woman's).Next fail see say how dim undimmed to worsen. Hownohow save to dimmer still. But but a shade so aswhen after nohow somehow on to dimmer still. Tilldimmost dim. Best bad worse of all. Save somehowundimmed worser still.Next I'll fail to see - fail to say - how to worsen theundimmed dim: how there's no way except to make itdimmer still. But only a shade dimmer - so that when,after there's no way on, I can go on somehow to a stilldimmer dim, to the most dim dim: the most-bad worseof all. Except that somehow the undimmed dim is worsestill.Ooze on back not to unsay but say again the vastsapart. Say seen again. No worse again. The vasts ofvoid apart. Of all so far missaid the worse missaid.So far. Not till nohow worse missay say worsemissaid. Not till for good nohow on poor worstmissaid.I'll ooze on back, not to unsay anything but to say againthe vast expanses they are apart: to say I've seen again(no worse again) the vast expanses of void they areapart. Of all that have so far been missaid the vasts havebeen worse missaid. So far. Not till I can in no way missayworse will I say that worse has been missaid. (Not tillthere's no way on, for good, will the poor worst bemissaid.)

Longing the so-said mind long lost to longing. Theso-missaid. So far so-missaid. Dint of long longinglost to longing. Long vain longing. And longing still.Faintly longing still. Faintly vainly longing still. Forfainter still. For faintest. Faintly vainly longing for theleast of longing. Unlessenable least of longing.

Unstillable vain least of longing still.Longing, now, is the so-called mind which has long beenlost to longing. (The so-miscalled mind - so farso-miscalled.) By dint of long longing it has been lost tolonging - by dint of long vain longing. And it is longing still(still faintly longing, still faintly vainly longing) for a stillfainter longing - for the faintest longing. Faintly vainlylonging for the least of longing, the unlessenable least oflonging: still longing for the unstillable and vain least oflonging.

Longing that all go. Dim go. Void go. Longing go. Vainlonging that vain longing go.The longing is that all will go: that the dim will go, the voidgo, longing itself go - a vain longing that vain longing willgo.Said is missaid. Whenever said said said missaid.From now said alone. No more from now now saidand now missaid. From now said alone. Said formissaid. For be missaid."Said" is "missaid". Whenever "said" is said, said is"missaid". From now on, only "said". From now on, nomore sometimes "said" and sometimes "missaid". Fromnow on only "said": "said" for "missaid" (and for "bemissaid").Back is on. Somehow on. From now back alone. Nomore from now now back and now back on. Fromnow back alone. Back for back on. Back for somehowon."Back" is "back on" (somehow on). From now on only"back". From now on, no more sometimes "back" andsometimes "back on". From now on only "back": "back"for "back on". ("Back" for somehow on.)Back unsay better worse by no stretch more. Ifmore dim less light then better worse more dim.Unsaid then better worse by no stretch more. Betterworse may no less than less be more. Better worsewhat? The say? The said? Same thing. Samenothing. Same all but nothing.

I'll go back to unsay (for better or worse) that "worse"can by no stretch of the imagination be "more". If moredim means less light, then (for better or worse) worse ismore dim. Be it unsaid, then - for better or worse - that"worse" can by no stretch of the imagination be "more".For better or for worse, "worse" may be "more", no lessthan it may be "less". (What is it that's for better orworse? The words I say? The things said? It comes to thesame thing: the same nothing, the same all but nothing).No once. No once in pastless now. No not none.When before worse the shades? The dim beforemore? When if not once? Onceless alone the void. Byno stretch more. By none less. Onceless till no more.No "once": there's no "once" in the "now" which has nopast. No, that's wrong: it can't be there's no "once" at all.When were the shades before they were made worse?When was the dim before it was more dim? When wasthat if it wasn't "once"? The only thing that wasn't "once"is the void. By no stretch of the imagination can anythingmore than the void not have a "once", and by no stretchof the imagination can anything less than the void nothave a "once". The void will not have a "once" until thevoid is no more.Ooze back try worsen blanks. Those then whennohow on. Unsay then all gone. All not gone. Onlynohow on. All not gone and nohow on. All there asnow when somehow on. The dim. The void. Theshades. Only words gone. Ooze gone. Till ooze againand on. Somehow ooze on.I'll ooze back and try to worsen the blanks. Those arethere, then, when there is no way on. I'll unsay that thenall is gone: all is not gone. It's just that there is no wayon. All is not gone and there is no way on. All is therethen, just as it is now when I somehow go on: the dim,the void, the shades. It's only the words that are gone,only the ooze that is gone. Till the ooze starts again and Igo on (somehow ooze on).Preying since last worse the stare. Something therestill far so far from wrong. So far far far from wrong.

Try better worse another stare when with wordsthan when not. When somehow than when nohow.While all seen the same. No not all seen the same.Seen other. By the same other stare seen other.When with words than when not. When somehowthan when nohow. How fail say how other seen?The stare (since it was last made worse) has been preyingon the remains of mind. Something there is still far fromwrong, so far from wrong - so far far far from wrong. I'lltry (for better or worse) to say that there is anotherstare when with words than when not with words:another stare when I somehow go on than when there isno way on. While all the things seen stay the same. No,not all the things seen stay the same: they are seen inanother way. By the same stare the other stare is seen inanother way: in another way when with words than whennot with words - in another way when I somehow go onthan when there is no way on. But how to say, how fail tosay, in what way the other stare is seen?Less. Less seen. Less seeing. Less seen and seeingwhen with words than when not. When somehowthan when nohow. Stare by words dimmed. Shadesdimmed. Void dimmed. Dim dimmed. All there aswhen no words. As when nohow. Only all dimmed.Till blank again. No words again. Nohow again. Thenall undimmed. Stare undimmed. That words haddimmed.The other stare is less - less seen and less seeing: lessseen and less seeing when with words than when not withwords; less when I somehow go on than when there is noway on. The stare is dimmed by words. The shades aredimmed too, so is the void. The dim itself is dimmed bythem. All is still there, just as when there are no words, aswhen there is no way on: but all is dimmed. Till there isagain a blank space, again no words, again no way on.Then all is undimmed, and the stare undimmed: all thatwords had dimmed.Back unsay shades can go. Go and come again. No.Shades cannot go. Much less come again. Nor bowed

old woman's back. Nor old man and child. Norforeskull and and stare. Blur yes. Shades can blur.When stare clamped to one alone. Or somehowwords again. Go no nor come again. Till dim if evergo. Never to come again.I'll go back and unsay that the shades can go, can goaway and then come back again. No, the shades cannotgo away - much less come back again. Nor can thebowed old woman's back, nor the old man and child, northe front of the skull and the stare. They can blur, yes:the shades can blur - when the stare is clamped to onlyone of them, or when somehow there are words again.But they cannot go away, nor come back again: not tillthe dim itself goes (if it ever does), never to come backagain.Blanks for when words gone. When nohow on. Thenall seen as only then. Undimmed. All undimmed thatwords dim. All so seen unsaid. No ooze then. Notrace on soft when from it ooze again. In it oozeagain. Ooze alone for seen as seen with ooze.Dimmed. No ooze for seen undimmed. For whennohow on. No ooze for when ooze gone.The blanks are for when words have gone, when there isno way on. Then all is seen as only then it is seen:undimmed. All is undimmed. All that words make dim isundimmed, and all that is seen with words is unsaid. Thereis no ooze of words then - no trace on the soft of mindwhen the ooze comes out from it again, goes into itagain. The ooze of words is only for what is seen alongwith the ooze of words: for what is dimmed. There is noooze for what is seen undimmed, for what is seen whenthere is no way on. There is no ooze of words for what isseen when the ooze is gone.Back try worsen twain preying since last worse.Since atwain. Two once so one. From now rift a vast.Vast of void atween. With equal plod still unrecedingon. That little better worse. Till words for worser still.Worse words for worser still.I'll go back and try to worsen the twain that have been

preying on the remains of mind since they were last madeworse, since they were separated: the two who wereonce so united. From now on they are rift by a vastness.A vastness of void is between them. They still go on, withequal plod, unreceding: that one little thing stays, forbetter or worse. Till there are words for what is evenworse still - worse words for what is even worse still.Preying but what not preying? When not preying?Nohow over words again say what then when notpreying. Each better worse for naught. No stillingpreying. The shades. The dim. The void. All alwaysfaintly preying. Worse for naught. No less than whenbut bad all always faintly preying. Gnawing.They are preying on the remains of mind - but what ifthey are not preying? What when not preying? The words(in no way over) again say "What then, when notpreying?". Each word, for better or worse, being for nopurpose: there is no way of stilling the preying. Theshades, the dim, the void - all are always faintly preyingon the remains of mind. They are made worse for nopurpose. No less than when they were merely bad, all arealways faintly preying: gnawing.Gnawing to be gone. Less no good. Worse no good.Only one good. Gone. Gone for good. Till then gnawon. All gnaw on. To be gone.They are gnawing to be gone. To be less is no good, to beworse is no good. There is only one good: to be gone -gone for good. Till then they will gnaw on, all will gnaw on:gnawing to be gone.All save void. No. Void too. Unworsenable void.Never less. Never more. Never since first said neverunsaid never worse said never not gnawing to begone.All are gnawing except the void. No, that's wrong: thevoid is gnawing too. The unworsenable void which is neverless and never more. Never since it was first said (neversince it was unsaid, never since it was worse-said) - neverhas the void not been gnawing to be gone.Say child gone. As good as gone. From the void.

From the stare. Void then not that much more? Sayold man gone. Old woman gone. As good as gone.Void then not that much more again? No. Void mostwhen almost. Worst when almost. Less then? Allshades as good as gone. If then not that much morethan that much less then? Less worse then? Enough.A pox on void. Unmoreable unlessable unworseableevermost almost void.Suppose the child gone (as good as gone): gone from thevoid, gone from the stare. Would not the void then bethat much more? Suppose the old man gone, the oldwoman gone (as good as gone). Would not the void thenbe that much more again? No: the void is most whenthey are almost gone, worst when they are almost gone.Would the void be less, then? All the shades are as goodas gone. If the void is then not that much more than that,is it much less then? Is it less worse then? Enough. A poxon void: the void which cannot be made more, cannot bemade less, cannot be made worse - the void which isalmost gone, for evermost.Back to once so-said two as one. Preying ever sincenot long since last failed worse. Ever since vastatween. Say better worse now all gone save trunksfrom now. Nothing from pelves down. From napesup. Topless baseless hindtrunks. Legless plodding on.Left right unreceding on.I'll go back to the once-so-called "two" who plod on as ifthey are one. They have been preying on the remains ofmind ever since they were last worse-failed (which wasnot long since). Ever since, a vastness has been betweenthem. I'll say now (for better or worse) that from now onall is gone except the trunks. There is nothing from thepelvises down or from the napes of the necks up. Theyare backs of trunks, without a base and without a top.Legless, they go plodding on: left right, unreceding on.Stare clamped to stare. Bowed backs blurs in stareclamped to stare. Two black holes. Dim black. Inthrough skull to soft. Out from soft through skull.Agape in unseen face. That the flaw? The want of

flaw? Try better worse set in skull. Two black holesin foreskull. Or one. Try better still worse one. Onedim black hole mid-foreskull. Into the hell of all. Outfrom the hell of all. So better than nothing worse saystare from now.Stare is clamped to stare: the bowed backs are blurs in astare clamped to a stare. Two black holes (dim black) goin through the skull to the soft of mind, and through theskull out from the soft. They gape wide in an unseen face.Is that the flaw? Is the want of a flaw the flaw? I'll try (forbetter or worse) to set them in the skull: two black holesin the front of the skull. Or one hole - I'll try (better still)to worse-say that there is just one: one dim black hole inthe middle of the front of the skull. Which leads into thehell of all of them and comes out from the hell of all ofthem. It's like that (better than nothing) that I'llworse-say the stare from now on.Stare outstared away to old man hindtrunkunreceding on. Try better worse kneeling. Legs gonesay better worse kneeling. No more if ever on. Saynever. Say never on. Ever kneeling. Legs gone fromstare say better worse ever kneeling. Stare away tochild and worsen same. Vast void apart old man andchild dim shades on unseen knees. One blur. Oneclear. Dim clear. Now the one. Now the other.The stare, outstared, goes away to the old man (with theback of his trunk plodding on unreceding). I'll try (forbetter or worse) to say he's kneeling. With his legs gone,I'll say (for better or worse) that he's kneeling. He won'tplod on any more (if he ever did plod on). I'll say he neverdid, never did plod on. He was always kneeling. I'll say thestare goes away to the child, and I'll worsen it. A vast voidapart, the old man and child are dim shades on unseenknees: one a blur, one clear (dimly clear). The stare goesnow to one of them, now to the other.Nothing to show a child and yet a child. A man andyet a man. Old and yet old. Nothing but ooze hownothing and yet. One bowed back yet an old man's.The other yet a child's. A small child's.

There's nothing to show it's a child, and yet it is a child.There's nothing to show it's a man, and yet it is a man.There's nothing to show he is old, and yet he is old. Thereis nothing but the ooze of words saying how they arenothing, and yet they are nothing. One bowed back isnevertheless an old man's back. The other is neverthelessa child's back.A small child's.Somehow again and all in stare again. All at once asonce. Better worse all. The three bowed down. Thestare. The whole narrow void. No blurs. All clear. Dimclear. Black hole agape on all. Inletting all. Outlettingall.Somehow I go on again, and all the shades are in stareagain. All at once they are as they used to be (all of them,for better or worse). The three bowed down, the stare,the whole narrow void: no blurs, all is clear. The dim isclear too. The black hole gapes on all: letting all come in,letting all go out.Nothing and yet a woman. Old and yet old. Onunseen knees. Stooped as loving memory some oldgravestones stoop. In that old graveyard. Namesgone and when to when. Stoop mute over thegraves of none.There's nothing to show it's a woman, and yet it is awoman. There's nothing to show she is old, and yet she isold. She is on unseen knees - stooped as some oldgravestones stoop, in loving memory. In that oldgraveyard. The names have gone, so have the dates:from when to when. The stones stoop mute over thegraves of none.Same stoop for all. Same vasts apart. Such laststate. Latest state. Till somehow less in vain. Worsein vain. All gnawing to be naught. Never to benaught.The stoop is the same for them all. The same vastexpanses separate them. Such is their last state - theirlatest state. Till somehow they are in vain less, in vainworse. All gnawing to be naught. And never to be naught.What were skull to go? As good as go. Into what

then black hole? From out what then? What why ofall? Better worse so? No. Skull better worse. Whatleft of skull. Of soft. Worst why of all of all. So skullnot go. What left of skull not go. Into it still the hole.Into what left of soft. From out what little left.What if the skull were to go (as good as go)? Into whatwould the black hole stare then? From what would it stareout then? What why of all? Is that how it is, for better orworse? No. For better or worse the skull is there - what isleft of the skull, and of the soft of mind. Worst why of allof all. So the skull doesn't go - what is left of the skulldoesn't go. The hole still goes into it - into what is left ofthe soft of mind, out from what little is left.Enough. Sudden enough. Sudden all far. No moveand sudden all far. All least. Three pins. One pinhole.In dimmost dim. Vasts apart. At bounds ofboundless void. Whence no farther. Best worse nofarther. Nohow less. Nohow worse. Nohow naught.Nohow on.Enough: suddenly it's enough. Suddenly they are all faraway: no movement and suddenly they are all far away,all least: three pins seen through one pinhole, in thedimmest dim. Vasts separate them. They are at thebounds of the boundless void, from where they will go nofarther (for best or worse no farther). Nohow will they beless. Nohow worse. Nohow naught. Nohow on.Said nohow on.I have said "nohow on".