gravity well

i've been reading rilke's letters to a young poet. what i keep thinking is, there's an almost horoscope-like quality to it—what young person has not felt alone and confused about love? and with this book you can roleplay that rilke was writing to specifically you. the effect is a little strange, and i don't know of many other books like it. of course there's collections of authors' correspondence, but in most of it you aren't encouraged so heavily to identify yourself with the recipient. what's nice about art is its ability to, despite its wide audience, feel like it speaks to your own personal life, but it's a little unsettling to have the art try and force the feeling upon you (and of course these were never intended to be read this way, kappus published them after rilke's death). you're a very special young poet aren't you yes you are yes you are