Anne Carson: To feel anything deranges you, To be seen feeling anything strips you naked

A poem by a Canadian poet and a classicist Anne Carson from her work “Red Doc” (2013); a collection of poetry, prose and drama which resumes the story of her novel “Autobiography of Red” from 1998.

Gustav Klimt, Two Studies of a Seated Nude with Long Hair, 1901-02, detail

To feel anythingderanges you. To be seenfeeling anything strips you naked. In the grip of itpleasure or pain doesn’tmatter. You think whatwill they do what newpower will they acquire ifthey see me naked like this. If they see youfeeling. You have no ideawhat. It’s not about them.To be seen is the penalty.