The FATHOMSCHOOL

—is interested in experimental text, specifically Neo-Gnostic writing. A new hermeticism; something mystic, past meaning that might still mean, never giving meaning primacy; writing invested in abstraction, word-as-inviolable-musical-seed, an alien throat, text as mud-mass, perilous. Co-founder Eric Westerlind: There are masks, but the veins are attached.

Antitheses in this case might be useful. Neo-Gnostic texts never divest themselves of their relic-state by foregrounding ‘audience’ or ‘communication’ as popularly understood. Neo-Gnosis opposes the pretensions and pabulum of the proper literary houses and magazines, their circular sceptic, with editors helming the award committees that select the books those editors have edited for said plaudits awarded ‘impartially’ by their committee. Hélène Cixous called it the ‘imbecilic capitalist machinery, in which publishing houses are crafty, obsequious relayers of imperatives handed down by an economy that works against us and off our backs.’ Ahem. But the real problems are the poems themselves, holding measling candles up to the machine, taking razor to their wings so to occupy the temple rather than quit it for the blank horizon.

Neo-Gnostic texts are fit to meet——or be——the Gorgon. As Antigone to Ismene: Your wisdom appealed to one world——mine, another. As Ishamael Reed: i left some curses in d cash / box so youll know its me.

First theories of Neo-Gnosis are here and here, with a dedicated volume of hypotheses and writing in Neo-Gnostic mode forthcoming in 2025.

Some ready-to-hand examples of what we consider Neo-Gnostic writing: Hon, Spece, Adams-Santos, and Westerlind.

As now, the School is on hiatus. Review previous courses on this pane.