Lit Chat

Inspiration for being human.

Third Thing, You and I, Everyone for Ten Minutes

Thursday May 28, 2026

Happy Thursday humans! Here is this week's literary inspiration for being human...

Let's consider a third thing...

Poems often serve as spaces for juxtaposition and enlightenment—the pairing of two very different words or ideas sparks a whole new idea or understanding that is entirely different from each of the juxtaposed elements, but whose discovery depends upon their pairing. As poet Adrienne Rich explains in What Is Found There: Notebooks on Poetry and Politics, "poetry... begins in this way: the crossing of trajectories of two (or more) elements that might not otherwise have known simultaneity. When this happens, a piece of the universe is revealed as if for the first time."

In Woman Outside the City, the chasm is a space of separation, but it also becomes a space of possibility as characters explore the abyss of disconnection and detachment. There are many such spaces—literal and figurative. Indeed, writing can also produce such spaces that lead to discovery, as the narrator in Part IV observes:

“... perhaps this is it—this book is the third thing I have discovered in the space between my imagination and my life..."

—"Third Thing" in Woman Outside the City

As you write, consider letting your thoughts wander from one thing to another totally different thing—what new ideas occur to you as you consider these two things together? Do you have any epiphanies or insights?

Let's consider you and I...

In "You Try To Fix It" by Liz Ahl, there is a "you" and an "I," and they are two distinct people, but the speaker's careful attention to the actions of the "you"—the speaker's admiration and reflective tone—makes the reader feel like the "I" is also trying to see the world from the perspective of the "you." This ability to see the world both from one's own perspective and from someone else's is a skill that leads to greater understanding and appreciation for one another, even in the midst of difficulties.

Try observing someone carefully and describe their actions—what details do you notice? What thoughts and questions arise in your mind? Shift your perspective to see through their eyes—now what do you notice?

Let's listen to everyone for ten minutes...

The alternative indie rock album everyone for ten minutes by Bleachers features lyrics by singer-songwriter Jack Antonoff, and it makes me think of how both poetry and music can turn quotidian ideas into art. The album title takes its name from the iPhone setting that allows your device to receive AirDrop files from anyone nearby for a ten-minute window, and it represents the tension between wanting to be open to connection yet also needing to preserve boundaries and protect oneself from social overload.

When are you open to other ideas and perspectives? When are you less receptive? How do you strike a balance between connecting with others but also protecting your need for privacy and solitude?