Brian Lowe Venetian Blinds for my mother, who taught me, slowly We've never been to Venetia, but we can appreciate what they've done for us: let the light in and keep the eyes out. As children, we were baffled by the ropes and bars, never being able to pull both strings equally. The blinds were a puzzle, the square knot's cousin. Who knows whether it was dexterity or logic that did the trick: hold both in one hand, pull down then left. We sit and adjust the stripes of light. We push to become the creepy neighbor. At night, flipped upside-down to avoid the streetlight.