Celebrated Letters of John B. Keane by John B. Keane

Author:John B. Keane
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mercier Press
Published: 2011-12-20T05:00:00+00:00

Letters to the Brain

Introduction

Because I am the central point of the body it is fitting that I should be the one to write this introduction.

To some I may appear to be no more than a very ordinary depression in the middle of the abdomen but this is the whole point. The abdomen is the recognised centre of the anatomy and I am the centre of the abdomen. Therefore, I am the very core, the kernel, the centre of the centre. Let no one dispute my entitlement to authorship of the foreword.

In the matter of selecting the contributors for this long-overdue series of invocations I willingly leave myself open to criticism.

Let me say at once that this is purely a personal choice. I am certain that if the liver, the kidneys, the bladder or even the eyebrows, none of which are included here, were to nominate the contributors the selection would bear little resemblance to mine. This is to be expected; no two aspects of the body’s organs are alike in either taste or temperament so that the last thing that should be expected of us is unanimity.

Nevertheless I have striven to be impartial and unprejudiced in so far as it is possible for any appurtenance of the human body to be. The reader will be familiar with other anthologies, treasuries and compendiums and will, no doubt, concur when I submit that any selection no matter how honestly or how painstakingly chosen is but a reflection of the anthologist’s own personal philosophies, attitudes and convictions. This is not to proffer an apology for this selection; rather it is a justification.

Some of my fastidious readers will ask why the rear aperture? To this I say, why not? If this seems to be too simplistic an answer let me add that I personally find the area in question to be one of the less edifying regions of the body which I have the honour to represent as navel-in-residence but I did not allow my personal squeamishness to militate against such a selection. I gave this particular choice a great deal of thought before I eventually decided in its favour.

The rear aperture, I told myself, is not my kettle of fish but the rear aperture, more than any other area of the body, has something to say and whether I like or dislike the tone, content or flavour of its pronouncements the rear aperture has a right to be heard if only for the reason that what it has to say must perforce be vastly different from anything else we are likely to hear in the many splendid contributions which I have solicited over so long a period. I often, in fact, despaired of ever bringing my daunting task to a finish.

Others will ask, why not the breast nipples? They are perfectly entitled to ask and I will endeavour to answer to the best of my ability. The breast nipples are near neighbours of mine and it must seem somewhat churlish to the gentle

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