The Making of Mind

excerpts from A. R. Luria’s “The Mind of a Mnemonist”

photograph by A.B. Godfreed

the psychology laboratory
devoted to the study of one man
S’s phenomenal memory
he lives in a web of transactions
things he wished to forget

while conversing with him
found herself in a strange wonderland
experienced synesthetic reactions
of light and color
when he listened to someone’s voice

literal senses of images
concerned with meaning and usage
converted into “puffs of steam” or “splashes”
across the street like a pendulum
curiosity had been aroused

Russian: bezymyannaya, “nameless”
means the stream has no name
explore its low points
particular realm of “speculative” thought
what will there be after infinity?

absence of images
the experiments would offer
anything of particular note

***