‘a finger points to the moon’ by R. D. Laing

a finger points to the moon

Put the expression

        a finger points to the moon, in brackets

        (a finger points to the moon)

The statement:

‘A finger points to the moon is in brackets’

is an attempt to say that all that is in the bracket

        (                                                             )

is, as to that which is not in the bracket,

what a finger is to the moon

Put all possible expressions into brackets

Put all possible forms in brackets

and put the brackets in brackets

Every expression, and every form,

is to what is expressionless and formless

what a finger is to the moon

all expressions and all forms

point to the expressionless and formless

the proposition

        ‘All forms point to the formless’

is itself a formal proposition

Not,

        as finger to moon

        so form to formless

but,

        as finger is to moon

        so

                 —                                                               —

                 |  all possible expressions, forms, propositions, |

                 |  including this one, made or yet to be made,    |

                 |  together with the brackets                             |

                 —                                                               —

        are to

What an interesting finger

        let me suck it

It’s not an interesting finger

        take it away

The statement is pointless

The finger is speechless

R. D. Laing, Knots (Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1973), 87-90.