How It Was: Freeze-frame from Archive

PNR/Carcanet office, in a Corn Exchange as yet untouched by the IRA and Derrida, circa Michael’s  Choosing a Guest: New and Selected Poems. The Monday morning’s fifth hit of instant-coffee against “the thicket growing dark” [op cit] but with cherry blossom blowing from the cathedral close, five characters in search of authors, their toy, their dream, their rest.

Michael, cultural commissar’s snuff box to hand, seeking the idea of order at key worst phone-calls from Donald D and  Charles S in their struggle for his soul.

Robyn shape-shifting authors’ bricolages into readerly écriture.

Pam the Stakhanovite transcribing Michael’s midnight dictaphoning.

Peter, acting accountant, deconstructing metafictive aporia, aka royalty statements.

Mike, factotum, deflecting Angst-soaked calls from Elizabeth, Christine, Ian – no names, no pack drill.

Stacked between xerox and light-box, the outgoing review copies, the incoming lava flow of unsolicited mss pending politburo scrutiny -  sunt lacrimae rerum.

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