ABSTRACT
Sometimes the author feels the Miltons and Neils of this world specialize in soul areas requiring particular kinds of labour. Neils feels the work of damaged bonds in other ways. At first, he sees damage in others, not in himself. Milton excruciatingly pinpoints ways love is exploited and is exploitative. Neil and Milton share a certain purity. Milton's vision of blackness is lily-white, uncompromising. Neil's sense of life's goodness is unshakeable. Both are challenged to let in perceptions of processes that do not succumb to what reality has taught them. The realness of living forces them beyond lenses they almost squeeze life into. Both have visions of goodness and light that inspire and depress them. Both want life to be better than it is. Both want it to be true. Both know that this is possible because Life is better than it is, better than true.
