9.17.2014

one conversation

     Much has the human experienced.
     Named many of the heavenly ones,
     Since we have been a conversation
     And can hear from one another.*

From these verses, let us first select one that immediately fits into the context so far: “Since we have been a conversation…” We—human beings—are a conversation. Human Being is grounded in language; but first properly occurs in conversation. This, however, is just one way in which language takes place; language is only essential as conversation.
[…]
Yet Hölderlin says: “Since we have been a conversation and can hear from one another.” Being able to hear is not merely a consequence of speaking with one another, but is instead the condition for this. Even being able to hear is itself in turn based upon the possibility of the word, and needs it. Being able to talk and being able to hear are equally originary. We are a conversation—and that means we are able to hear from one another. We are a conversation, and that also always means: We are one conversation.

—Martin Heidegger, “Hölderlin and the Essence of Poetry,” Heidegger Reader (Indiana University Press, 2009)

*lines from an unfinished poem by Hölderlin

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

we may hear...

Conrad DiDiodato said...

Ah, lovely passage...

It's so good to be talking about Heidegger, a much neglected literary critic

vazambam (Vassilis Zambaras) said...

Indeed a lovely passage--one wonders if Oppen, whose poetry is heavily indebted to Heidegger's ontological viewpoint, knew of it. More than likely he did.

JforJames said...

I was discussing Nietzsche with a poet friend and this passage came up.

Today I even corrected the typo in the heading. Dante should have a ring of hell for typo-prone people like me.