Bluets

Pg 3-4,9, 12, 23, 28, 48

The propositions’ back and forth nature creates a conversational dialogue throughout the entirety of Bluets. In some verses it comes across as Nelson’s free-flowing train of thought as she speaks on a variety of subjects. Surrounding the nature of loving the color blue, Nelson proposes “And what kind of madness is it anyway, to be in love with something constitutionally incapable of loving you back?” She answers her own question, or provides a different narrative, in the following prose, “Are you sure-one would like to ask-that it cannot love you back?” (15). Content arranged in this manner emphasizes the philosophical reasoning one would be grappling with, when attempting to explain their love for an unrequited person, object, or in this case, color.

I imagine Nelson took her time in compiling Bluets. The compositions detail very different life experiences that I’m sure spanned across a year, if not more. Whether it’s the arrangement of the content or Nelson’s flighty manner of story-telling, it seems as if the narrative spans a long period of time, transcending a linear plot. Although initially it may seem jarring, the plot flows seamlessly from one present-day experience, to a memory, to a desire that can only be imagined in the far-off future. The form of numbered, short snippets permits this maneuvering of space and time.

From the narrative presented, Nelson seems to question almost everything. There are no facts, but only starting points for why, how, etc. She also seems to be very detail oriented due to her graphic, descriptive, and sensual word choices.  To view one color so passionately and deeply displays the ability to creatively notice distinctions in one color scheme, whereas others may only view it as that.

Due to the philosophical nature, Nelson also creates a melancholy persona. She never holds onto something that is concrete or factual and is questioning a majority of what she comes across. Instead of grasping what is presented to her, Nelson seems quite lost in her search of “blue” or whatever she is searching for. In this way, she embodies the strangest paradox of both fleeting and questioning, questioning but not thinking, searching, but also finding. It’s difficult to describe now that I’m viewing her writing from this mindset, but Nelson clearly infused Bluets with hearty potions of her own life.