Not only how far away, but the way that you say it,
is very important. Perhaps
you may never get
the knack of judging a distance, but at least you know
how to report on a landscape; the central sector,
the right of arc and that,
which we had last Tuesday
and at least you'll know.
That maps are of time, not place as far as the army
happens to be concerned.
The reason being,
s one which need not delay us. Again, you know
there
are three kinds of tree, three only, the fir and the poplar
and those which
have bushy tops too; and lastly
that things only seem to be things.
A barn is not called a barn,to put it more plainly
or a field in the distance,
where sheep may be safely grazing.
You must never be over sure. You must say
when reporting:
At five o'clock in the central sector is a dozen
of what
appear to be animals; what ever you do,
do not call the bleeders sheep.
I am sure that's quite clear, and suppose, for the sake of example,
the one at
the end, asleep, endeavours to tell us
what he sees over there to the west,
and how far away.
After first having come to attention. There to the west of
the fields of summer sun and the shadows bestow
vestments of purple and gold.
The still what dwellings are like a mirage in the heat,
and under swaying elms
a man and a woman,
lie gently together. Which is, perhaps, only to say:
That there is a row of houses to the right of arc,
and that under some poplars
a pair of what appear to be humans
appear to be loving.
Well that answer is what we might rightly call
moderately satisfactory only.
The reason being,
is that two things have been omitted, and these are
important.
The human beings, now in what direction are they,
and how far
away, would you say? And do not forget
there may be dead ground in between.
There may be dead ground in between, and I may not have got
the knack of
judging a distance; I will only venture
a guess that perhaps between me and
the apparent lovers
(who incidentally, appear by now to have finished)
at seven o'clock from the houses, is roughly a distance
of about one year and
a half.
