dive into mark

The appendices of the CSS specification are in alphabetical order was one of those posts that gets stuck, trapped in your head for several days. Ideas bubble, but nothing will form shapes of words or sentences proper. But that phrase seemed to be rhythmically, well, soothing. Words make rhythm and music. More accurately, syllables have rhythm; words and sentences, music. Great writers can take liberties with them all, mixing silence in with the banter. (Parentheses and) emphasis like Word. Caps. are tricks for unspoken words.

This sentence was the first that I wrote (I added links to Hofstadter later):

The appendices of the CSS 2.1 specification are in alphabetical order.

Head-scratchingly, it felt like it was… off. Why? The number syllables wrecked it.

The appendices of the CSS 2.1 specification are in alphabetical order.

Then, suddenly, it was clear to me why this version had familiar rhythm. Here: Einstein on the Beach, which is a song sung for kooks and lunatic madmen. (No, seriously, listening to just one of the acts is plenty to start with.) Scene one in the third is like a chant — mixing, blending, jumbling parts of

Bank robbery is punishable by twenty years in federal prison.

First, count in your head where the words, stresses, breaks, and “notes” are occurring.

BANK · ROB · ber · y · is · PUN · ish · a · ble · BY · TWEN · ty · YEARS · in · FED · er · al · PRIS · on

Now listen to the emphasis in my phrasing, matching syllables loosely.

THE  · ap · PEN  · di  · ces · of · the · 
BANK ·    · ROB  · ber · y   · is ·

C   · s   · s       · SPEC · i · fi ·
PUN · ish · a · ble · BY   ·

CA · tion · are · in · AL    · pha · 
TWEN · ty ·          · YEARS · in  · 

BET · i  · cal · OR   · der
FED · er · al  · PRIS · on

Stacked vertically, phrases become chords, measures marking time like a foot tap.

Bank robbery is punishable by twenty alphabetical orders.

The appendices of the CSS spec, twenty years in federal prison.

Bank robbery was sleeping on the couch, twenty years of unspoken words.

I just recently was sleeping on the couch, music playing. Could I have dreamt it?

Bank robbery is punishable by twenty years of lunatic madmen.

The appendices of the CSS specification are carried everywhere with me.

Bank robbery is punished

Bank robbery

But but but doubtlessly, that’s where it’s from: twenty years of familiar rhythm.

Or, is there a simpler cause? Twenty years of hearing that piece, now my brain is rewired to hear music, carried everywhere with me.

Bank robbery is punishable by stresses, breaks, and federal prison.

But, doubtlessly, that’s where it’s from: Philip Glass’ “Einstein on the Beach.”

Bank robbery is punishable by mixing, blending, jumbling parts of

Great writers can be punished by twenty years of

Bank robbery

Bank bank bank robbery is punishable by twenty years of specification.

Hey Mr. Bojangles,

Hey Mr. Bojangles.

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