# Summary

The text is a metaphorical reflection on a personal struggle involving a disputed space, silence, and the confrontation with a challenging presence.

# Abstract

The author describes a metaphysical experience where they mortgage a contested piece of sky, envisioning it as an uncolored, geometric structure with an open window for their soul to breathe. This space is filled with the profound silence of contemplation and the pain of devotion. The Devil, depicted as a trigon in the sky, observes the author's silent audacity and the choice of a vibrant dye, which contrasts with the silence. The Devil regrets not having built a protective frame, wishing instead for the lattice or keeping his desires safely wrapped. The text culminates in a meditation on the nature of enchantment and the transformative power of ascent, symbolized by the climbing of a vine, leading to an escalation that defines the character of a stain.

# Opinions

- The author values the silence and the act of listening as a form of deep contemplation.
- There is a sense of pride or defiance in the author's choice to maintain silence in the face of the Devil's presence.
- The Devil is portrayed as having misplaced desires or regrets, indicating a critique of missing the essence of things.
- The concept of enchantment is associated with upward movement and transformation, suggesting a positive view of growth and change.
- The "stain" seems to represent a mark of experience or a testament to the author's journey, carrying a nuanced, possibly bittersweet connotation.

The Stain

I mortgaged a piece of disputed sky,

A tetragonal lattice, I painted it, uncoloured

It had a window that I left unlocked — to air

out my unsullied soul,

I listened to the silence of listening

And suffered the agony of the devotee

Across the leaning sky, parallel, a lot,

a circled trigōnon, the Devil on the Mount,

listened to the silence and heard the

vigil, the lightheaded fainting of my dream

He swooned at the audacity of my silence,

of my choice of dye — high rates

He listened to its unusual noise, and

wished

he had built a frame,

He should have wished for the lattice, or

left his wishes bubble-wrapped

and climbed the parable of the vine

enchantment was always — in

climbing up, up and away — come the vintage,

the kisses and the wine — the escalation,

the character of the stain.