Today, in his Alpine Journal, Byron made me rediscover the dash. The dash being at once a mark, a rush, a bolt, and a sprint, a slap, a strike, and an obsolete form of the tight-toothed curse: Damn! The origin of the word may be the nordic “dask, daska” (noun, verb), an ancient word still in use, meaning to strike lightly, with an open hand.
Thank you my lord, for the dash – this speedy glyph – which damns – & double-damns – all that is damned in the first place – like wretched humanity – & creation itself – like the clubfoot in my mind & heart – which anchors fast – & unmakes – the quickened & loving man I desire to be. – Thank you for this dash dashing – & maketh dash’d away – my mediocrity – & thank you for this dash dashing hither – if but for an instant – beside myself, & beyond – but of this earth still – the rarest of companions: a god.
2007.VII.17.