Imbolc Valentine Moon
“It takes courage to get to the ancient altar
of the moment where I create individual time…I am making it, my time visibly becoming me.” “Individual Time,” Alice Notley
If I interpret her poem correctly, in it Alice Notley has commented on this author picture, arguing against those who would have had it prettied up. And I get it.
When we talked about wrinkles and road map faces last night, I believe we were in her territory. I wanted then to quote a favorite author Jorge Luis Borges, but the quote was longer than I could recall easily. Here it is:
“Through the years, a man (sic) peoples a space with images of provinces, kingdoms, 
mountains, bays, ships, islands, fishes, rooms, tools, stars, horses and people. Shortly before his death, he discovers that the patient labyrinth of lines traces the image of his own face.” – Jorge Luis Borges
Combining the two we could say that it takes courage to get to the ancient altar of our own aged face. And to follow Notley, why alter what it took courage to gain?
The Keaton side of my family, my Mom’s family, wrinkles early and the men go bald. That means I look my age and then some. I have no problem with that. This face is what you get when you look at me; it’s the one I’ve earned and I’m glad to have it. No amount of smoothing, lifting or making up will change what it is, the patient labyrinth of lines that trace my own image, the long journey to this ancient altar.
