How It Is

How It Is by Samuel Beckett Page A

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Authors: Samuel Beckett
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in the sun at the foot of the wall
     white dust a palm thick azure little clouds other details silence falls again
    what sun what have I said no matter I’ve said something that’s what was needed seen
     something called it above said it was so said it was me ten twelve years old sleeping
     in the sun in the dust to have a moment’s peace I have it I had it opener arse following
     scene and words
    sea beneath the moon harbour-mouth after the sun the moon always light day and night
     little heap in the stern it’s me all those I see are me all ages the current carries
     me out the awaited ebb I’m looking for an isle home at last drop never move again
     a little turn at evening to the sea-shore seawards then back drop sleep wake in the
     silence eyes that dare open stay open live old dream on crabs kelp
    astern receding land of brothers dimming lights mountain if I turn water roughening
     he falls I fall on my knees crawl forward clink of chains perhaps it’s not me perhaps
     it’s another perhaps it’s another voyage confusion with another what isle what moon
     you say the thing you see the thoughts sometimes that go with it it disappears the
     voice goes on a few words it can stop it can go on depending on what it’s not known
     it’s not said
    on what the nails that can go on the hand dead a fraction of an inch life a little
     slow to leave them the hair the head dead a hoop rolled by a child me higher than
     him me I fall disappear the hoop rolls on a little way loses way rocks falls disappears
     the garden-path is still
    can’t go on we’re talking of me not Pim Pim is finished he has finished me now part
     three not Pim my voice not his saying this these words can’t go on and Pim that Pim
     never was and Bom whose coming I await to finish be finished have finished me too
     that Bom will never be no Pim no Bom and this voice quaqua of us all never was only
     one voice my voice never any other
    all that not Pim I who murmur all that a voice mine alone and that bending over me
     noting down one word every three two words every five from age to age yes or no but
     above all go on impossible for the moment quite impossible that’s the essential nay
     folly I hear it murmur it to the mud folly folly stop your drivel draw the mud about
     your face children do it in the sand at the sea-shore in the country in the sandpits
     the humbler
    all about pressed tight as a child you would have done it in the sandpits even you
     the mud above the temples and nothing more be seen but three grey hairs old wig rotting
     on a muckheap false skull foul with mould and rest you can say nothing when time ends
     you may end
    all that the time it takes to say all that my voice a voice of mine not like that
     more faint less clear but the purport and back to Pim where abandoned part two it
     still can end it must end it’s preferable only a third to go two fifths then part
     three leaving only part three
    E then good and deep sick of light quick now the end above last thing last sky that
     fly perhaps gliding on the pane the counterpane all summer before it or noonday glory of colours behind the pane in the mouth of
     the cave and the approaching veils
    two veils from left and right they approach come together or one down the other up
     or aslant diagonal from left or right top corner right or left bottom corner one two
     three and four they approach come together
    a first pair then others on top as many times as necessary or a first one two three
     or four a second two three four or one a third three four one or two a fourth four
     one two or three as many times as necessary
    for what for to be happy eyes starting pupils staring night in the midst of day better
     the fly at break of morn four o’clock five o’clock the sun rises its day begins the
     fly we’re talking of a fly its day its summer on the pane the counterpane its life
     last thing last sky
    E then good and deep quick now the end above sick of light and nail on skin

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