and here i begin i spin here the beguine i respin and grin to begin
to release and realize life begins not arrives at the end of a trip which is
why i begin to respin to write one thousand pages a thousandone pages
to end write begin write begin-end with writing and so i
begin to respin to retrace to write and rewrite the future
of writing’s the tracing to overwrite the slaving a thousandone nights in a
thousandone pages or a page in one night the same nights the same pages
same me say resemblance dissemblance reassemblance where the end is begin
where to write about writing’s not writing about not writing
and so i begin to unspin the unknown unbegun and tracing a book
where all’s chance and perchance all a book or perchance not a travel
navel-of-the-world book a travel navel-of-the-book world where tripping’s the book
and its being the trip and so i begin since the trip is beguine
and i turn and return since the turning’s respinning beginning that reading that book
a book is its sense every page of a book is its sense every line of a page every word
of a line of a page is the sense of the line of the page of the books which try to essay
any book is an essay of essays of the book which is why the begin-
end begins and ends spins and re-ends and refines and retunes the fine funnel of the
begunend spun into runes running and ending the end of the beginend
refines the refined of the final where it finishes beginnish reruns and
returns and the finger retraces a thousandone stories an incey wince-story so i
tell no account i don’t chant any fable a nonstory discounts or
descants me the reverse of the fable is snot can be rot
maybe all maybe story depends on the moment the glory
all depends on the now transitory and the never though no-go
and nowhere and noplace and nihil and nixit and zero zilch story
and seldom ever can nothing be all can be tallied can be told sum total
toting up totally surprising and sumptuous summation of mounting amazement
so here i begin to respin and i echo the trek i begin oh recurring echo
a whack on the start a smack on the echoing start knocking out harrowing
hollows of marrow beyond the bone over thisaway thataway everywhere
neverwhere over here over there forward more backward less there
foremast or forward in reverse vice versa level with i begin and i grin
i begin at the base and respin for the famished nail of tale doesn’t bite or
consume me or command me or reduce me for in the bone of beguines i know just
the bare bones shank and bone of the start i begin the beguine of the trip
where the travel’s the marvel of return the scrabble’s the fable of wonder
where the trifle’s the tinder the embers of fable so vanilla is a vigil
is the sparkle of sparks is the glint of the tale the glitter of nought and descanting
the story not telling the tale i count my beans a quick win and the speaking begins

Translated by Suzanne Jill Levine with Odile Cisneros

(from a basic version by Jon Tolman)