Bright Air, Brilliant Fire, By Gerald M. Edelman

In Bright Air, Brilliant Fire: On the Matter of the Mind, Gerald M. Edelman examines how the relation between consciousness and time lends itself to the formation and preservation of human memory. Edelman introduces the concept of "perceptual categorization" which speaks to the ability of the human mind to process sensory information and retain that knowledge, so that one may recover and apply it later. Perceptual categorization entails the process of forming conscious thoughts and decisions. As Edelman writes, "memory is the key element of consciousness" and two forms of forming and retaining memories emerge from perceptual categorization: primary and higher-order consciousness. (Edelman 49). Primary consciousness pertains to current experiences while higher-order consciousness applies to using past occurrences to influence future decisions and

Yeats writes the poem in the tone of primary consciousness, detailing the autumn scenery of his setting as he views it in the present-day; the description of the trees and the water in the light of the October twilight creates a sense of pleasant tranquility. However, Yeats reveals that returning to the setting each year is not a cause for reminiscence. Rather, the setting is a physical representation of his solitude and resentment. "Two-icity" presents itself when Yeats writes, "I have looked upon those brilliant creatures/and now my heart is sore," in that, while Yeats presently looks upon the swans, he remembers the way in which he used to view the swans in the past (13-14). The swans once brought him pleasure and excitement but now Yeats cannot experience that happiness because his heart has grown bitter. "Two-icity" contrasts the feelings of resentment that the author now has visiting Coole Park with his past feelings of awe and