When Sophus’s grandfather died, he left behind an old encyclopedia with a mysteriously empty page. In this episode, Sophus talks about happens when we run out of words, as when the mind is made blank by old age or when our loved ones die and we grieve them in silence. Empty pages are a powerfully symbol. They can mark both an ending and a new beginning, they can represent hope as well as grief. Blank pages are everywhere, and surprisingly beautiful.

Hosted and written by Sophus Helle

Sound editing by Simone Nystrup-Larsen

Edited by Andreas Lindinger Saxild

Find out more at sophushelle.com/monkeymind

Monkey Mind

Combining wit and wisdom, silliness and seriousness, the podcast Monkey Mind by Sophus Helle takes the audience on a weekly jaunt through the jungle of the mind. Each episode throws a new and unusual light on the issues of everyday life—trees, typos, taxes, and much more besides—making the audience look again at a world they thought they knew. It tells stories that are designed to make the listener chuckle, then reflect, drawn from both the host’s own life and from the deep well of history.

Sophus Helle is a writer, translator, and cultural historian. He is an expert in the Babylonian epic Gilgamesh and the ancient poet Enheduana.