by Terry Trowbridge
Ship Manifest
now; I dream that golden ship with all its sails
-Emile Nelligan, Ship of Gold, 56.
- On Shipwrights
Now.
The imperative now.
Images launch. Last century launch was a computing metaphor.
Earlier last century, launch was a rocketry metaphor for a procedural sequence.
Two centuries ago, launch was a nautical verb.
See also: overload and battery.
This century, launch is a synonym for starting an action.
Launch is not a synonym for beginnings.
Launching is not latent, not embryonic.
A seed is not a tree. The sapling launches a tree.
A tree can launch a seed.
A seed cannot launch a tree.
A tree is the beginnings of timber.
A tree is not a boat.
Boats do launch.
Boats do journey.
Launch. Journey.
Images launch.
- On Charting
Now.
The imperative now.
I dream the golden ship with all its sails.
Do I dream the wind that furls them?
Turn me over.
Does the ship capsize?
Publish my manifesto.
Is it only an allegory for my dream?
Dreaming means I am alone.
The golden ship is mine.
Now; I dream.
What is mine is golden.
- Keel Versus Mutiny
Now. The imperative now.
This is my manifesto:
the imperative now.
The past is no more.
Dream or launch.
Dream and launch.
Dream as launch.
Launch.
Dream.