Postcard 43: Unposted, Mid-20th Century, Linen Card

W 35. The White House, Washington, D.C.

Million Billion Trillion

He held out a slip of paper and said, "Here, I just have to give this to someone."

From The Iliad

Book Two, Part One
.
1.
Now
night
.........in his heart
.
in words
..................no longer
..............................his words
.
a cloud of
.................horses
.
................................so numerous
.
2.
far away
.................the flowing
.
.........................................city
.
...................................in your heart
.
3.
the flowing
.........................city
.
...........................no longer
...........................within your heart
.
4.
flocks
of
men
caught in
..................cities
.
..................numbered
..................counted
..................allotted
.
.................................one to
.........................................ten
.
so I
...........who live in the city
....................have rotted away
.
5.
the
.......wind moves
.
...................and men shout
..............................to the
...........................................sky
.
6.
no longer
each
voice
.
.........throwing
.....................words
.................................in anger
.
7.
forever
............the shrill noise of
.
...................................words
.
8.
I tell you
.
............strip away your
...............................howling
...............................tear-drops
.
...............................speak
.........................................again
.........................................to
.........................................his heart
.
9.
years
.........curved
....................and empty
.
gathered
.....................under
...........................the shining water
.
.......................................the leaves
.
10.
he spoke
.
..................and poured
................................words
.
........................................in
...........................................to
.
...........................................running
...........................................blood
.
11.
you
......spoke
.
..............the city
...........................has given me
.
...............................................words
.
.....................................................and each man
.....................................................separate
.
......................................................but
......................................................never alone
.
12.
no more
....action
.
13.
she swept
...............the
....................forest
...............the mountain
......................the birds
.............................the meadow
.
.........................into
...............................a milk pail
.
14.
you
........only the rumor of
.
.....................................a voice
.
15.
the
earth
.
.........the arrangement of horses
.
16.
the sea
.
.............the swarming
.
...........................lovely
.....................................city
.
............................his heart
............................her lamentations
.
17.
he
.
......the voice
......without memory
.
.................the heart
........................trembling