There was a time when elevators
were operated by middle-aged
ladies sitting on a little worn-down
foldable chair . that was then
here in my city . I call home
at times these ladies
sat behind a very small desk
with a clipboard . a white plastic balpen
some paper with a checklist of sorts
they felt truly like gatekeepers
magical creatures awaiting answer
at the mouth of rock and wooden passing
at times they had these hand-held counting devices . shiny round with rolling analog numbers clicking away for each passenger
counting away the days carried by those who excited . All exited . All-excited . except that one lady . aging . along the middle of a shaft . aging . upwardly and downwardly . aging . interruptedly up there
They . these ladies . are no more
except then this one:
“I’m a submarine that can swim”
“I’m a fish climbing a tree,”
mumbled the remaining elevator lady:
“In the elevator
I won the game;
In the elevator
as pillar, brush or plow
In the elevator
I’m a granary, a pillar, a winnowing basket
I’m a plowshare, a plow, I’m mortar, a pillar
I’m a pestle, a brush, a wall
I’m a snake, a spear, a tree
In the elevator, I plow, I pillage
I’m meaning to move
I’m an elephant in the room.”;
It clicked . incomplete
—animasuri’22
For Katarina; for she knows
…perversely note-taking while considering Legg and Hutter (2007): “Intelligence measures an agent’s ability to achieve goals in a wide range of environments” .. if one were to remain in 1 environment, while achieving other people’s goals, is then one…? What is the one-ness of “environment”?
photo: “Reflecting on Felix” . Digitally photo-edited digital photo. —animasuri’22
Derivative of “Felix” (2001) by Maurizio Cattelan: “The Last Judgment” Exhibition. Location: UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, Great Hall ; Beijing, 798. Duration: 2021.11.20-2022.02.20