“To the Reader”

A Poem by Vijay Seshadri

January 19, 2022  By Vijay Seshadri
0


I’m writing this so I can tell you that what you’re thinking
about me is exactly what I’m thinking
about you.

Article continues after advertisement
Remove Ads

What you’re reading is exactly what you’re writing,
by the light of a taper, deep inside yourself,
at your walnut secretary.

These words are saying
what those words say, and these and those

are those and these, mine and yours, and have no meaning,
only form. Talk about

being one with others!
We correspond 1 to 1, and there is a grandeur in this.
You’ll understand that someday.

Article continues after advertisement
Remove Ads

Just now, though, you’re stupefied at this
spooky action at a distance.

So would I be, and I am.

__________________________________

That Was Now, This Is Then

“To the Reader” from That Was Now, This Is Then. Copyright © 2020 by Vijay Seshadri. Used with the permission of Graywolf Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, www.graywolfpress.org

Article continues after advertisement
Remove Ads




Vijay Seshadri
Vijay Seshadri
Vijay Seshadri was born in India in 1954 and moved to America as a small child. He is the author of four books of poetry, as well as many essays, reviews, and memoir fragments. His work has been widely published and anthologized and recognized with a number of honors, including the Pulitzer Prize.








More Story
Lea Ypi on Coming of Age Amid Political Upheaval Hosted by Andrew Keen, Keen On features conversations with some of the world’s leading thinkers and writers about the economic,...

Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member: Because Books Matter

For the past decade, Literary Hub has brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for a donation, you’ll get an ad-free reading experience, exclusive editors’ picks, book giveaways, and our coveted Joan Didion Lit Hub tote bag. Most importantly, you’ll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving on the internet.

x