Osculations
The Kiss, 1901–4, Auguste Rodin
Photo: Tate (CC BC-BY-ND 4.0 DEED)
What are “Osculations”?
The text of EPOCH incorporates a large number of allusions to books, poems, songs, academic papers, paintings, films, and other works. These are not merely passing linguistic echoes; in most cases they connect with the point made or the topic addressed. As a whole they are also an important thematic element of the book, and are called “osculations,” as explained below.
So as not to distract from reading, sources for the osculations are provided in the book as text-referenced end notes. That configuration is not ideal for those who wish to combine reading with exploring the references, so online versions are offered later on this page as a service to readers. These include both a phone-friendly PDF file as well as a web format that (where available) links to online versions of the original sources.
A diagram of a geometric osculation; curve C not only touches the circle at point P but also matches its curvature.
What are “Osculations”?
Aither explains.
As when two curves that intersect, then linger for a spell,
with intimacy greater than a tangent’s fleeting touch,
their slopes of slopes of slopes aligned, a segment superposed;
just so, the words our forebears wrought have kissed my mind times three,
and I cannot relax or rest until the deed is shared.
Thus in this work, to prove my points, I grasp you in my arms
and whisper words reprised, renewed; they kiss your mind times three.
Now you can call this what you will: allusion, echo, quote,
pastiche, citation, intertext, composite artistry,
appropriation, reference, a patchwork, cento, found –
but I, by “osculations,” mean to pass a kiss around.
Yes, even this excerpt has its own osculations. Click here to see them.
Guide to the Osculations
EPOCH includes its references as end notes. But flipping back and forth can be unwieldy, so they are provided separately here in two formats. The web format also includes links to online sources, where available.
Downloadable Guide
This PDF is designed for easy reference using a phone-sized screen while reading the book. It contains all the end notes in a single file, cropped to maximize text size. Acrobat Reader is recommended.
Web Format Guide, By Chapter
I am adding chapters one at a time.
