Friday 10 September 2010

Wayne, Jenny, Helen & William Blake: for some reason




Working class boy, now 24, outstandingly talented and wealthy footballer, childhood girlfriend wife, regular visits to prostitute while wife is pregnant. Wealthy public-school educated girl turns prostitute at £1200 per call, sells story, gets name and picture everywhere, gets even more money. Another middle-class girl, daughter of lecturer and teacher, a bit down on her luck joins in.

For some reason papers go nuts.

For some reason prostitution is known as the oldest profession.

For some reason it continues to be big business.

For some reason pornography is very popular.

For some reason this seems to be a curious fact.

For some reason young males are interested in sex.

For some reason some young males' desire for sex does not seem to stop at one young female.

For some reason this keeps happening.

For some reason love and sex seem to occupy neighbouring rooms in some young males' minds, not the same room.

For some reason this too appears to be a surprise.

For some reason William Blake writes:



The moment of desire! the moment of desire! The virgin
That pines for man shall awaken her womb to enormous joys
In the secret shadows of her chamber: the youth shut up from
The lustful joy shall forget to generate, and create an amorous image
In the shadows of his curtains and in the folds of his silent pillow..
.

(Visions of the Daughters of Albion)



For some reason Blake also writes:



Those who restrain desire, do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.

(The Marriage of Heaven and Hell)



For some reason William Blake asked his wife and collaborator, Catherine Boucher, if he might, like King David, have handmaids. When she wept he relented and gave up the idea of handmaids. William Blake thereby restrained his desire.

For some reason, nevertheless, he felt desire. Catherine might have felt desire beyond William but she was a woman of her time. Did they both then 'create an amorous image' in the shadows of their curtains?

For some reason, Blake's poem continued:



Are not these the places of religion, the rewards of continence,
The self-enjoyings of self-denial? Why dost thou seek religion?
Is it because acts are not lovely that thou seekest solitude,
Where the horrible darkness is impressèd with reflections of desire?


(Visions of the Daughters of Albion)



For some reason the world loves reading of illicit sex.

For some reason some prefer sex illicit, or, if they don't, they still like reading about it.

For some reason the question of the illicit is defined in various social ways which are not built around the desires of young males (nor females possibly but we are rarely party to thoughts on that) but on experience of social cohesion. The desires of young males are therefore illicit.

For some reason sex requires CAPITAL LETTERS in the common imagination.

For some reason some acts are not lovely and therefore people seek solitude. Or a commercial exchange.

For some reason this is not the end of the world.

For some reason the world seems not to have ended.

For some reason the 'horrible darkness' continues to be 'impressèd with reflections of desire.'



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