Anticipating pleasure
\n— counting, banking, trading, surviving
\non what’s to come —
\nsets our breed apart, they say,
\nfrom brutes for whom all’s ever
\nnow or never.<\/p>\n
But there’s a diabolic downside
\nto this being
\nforever ahead of the game:<\/p>\n
<i>My enemy’s enemy
\nis my friend.<\/i><\/p>\n
Just so, despite ourselves,
\nto spite ourselves,
\nwe fast-forward
\nto the sequel’s sequel
\nand know then that there’s no
\npleasure in’t,
\njust pain,
\nan incommensurable currency,
\nas both now and then
\npick up speed
\nand the whole pre-emptive pyramid
\nforecloses on itself.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Anticipating pleasure — counting, banking, trading, surviving on what’s to come — sets our breed apart, they say, from brutes for whom all’s ever now or never. But there’s a diabolic downside to this being forever ahead of the game: <i>My enemy’s enemy is my friend.<\/i> Just so, despite ourselves, to spite ourselves, we fast-forward … <\/p>\n