When does a man start collecting cuttings on himself? The poet when his first slim volume gets pecked at by the week-end critics? The politician when he gets his first one-inch notice in the local rag?

• 一个人是什么时候开始收集关于自己的剪报的?是作为诗人从自己的第一本诗集受到周末报刊评论家的挑剔开始呢?还是作为政客从地方报上第一次得到一小条关于自己的报道开始呢?