V Formation

I just learned that in heraldy a downward pointing triangle is called a pile, which is kind of counterintuitive, but I like it. To me it represents the force of heaven pressing down on the earth, or the mandate of the soul on the fleshly persona, the redemption possible with the descent of Sophia.

Nadia's the only athlete I've ever fallen for. I was taking gymnastics at the Y in Arlington Virginia when she had her heyday. I had to give it up because I had a neurotic fear of the balance beam, which some lunatic wanted me to flip on, but I really loved the uneven bars.

I found a book on Prospect Park West about her last Sunday, Nadia Comaneci by Gloria D. Mikowitz, published 1977, that included the photo above. It talks about how solemn and shy she was, walking around with her doll in between her bouts of triumph. So much power in one so innocent! In this photo of her on the uneven bars I see her as a representation of heaven descending to earth with the deliberateness of provenance's iron web. As in the star of David, the feminine triangle of heaven descends upon the masculine triangle of earth, keeping him in check, properly informing his impulses, ridding him of the malignancies that result from the indulgences of fear and despair. He lifts her, she grounds him. That is, if the spirit isn't shut away in the basement somewhere because its tenderness is too hard to bear. I like to think that it'll crash through the door sooner rather than later.