Walter Benjamin writes (in the Arcades Project) of skilled chess enthusiasts in Paris who played with their backs to the chessboard. They were able to determine an opponent’s move by the click of the piece on the board.
Consider the skilled poet. He knows the words of a poem about to be spoken by a fellow poet from the intake of her breath.
Consider the skilled shoemaker. He knows how to construct the required shoes by the sound of feet approaching his booth.
Consider the skilled confessor. He knows the sin by the ragged breath of the sinner.
Consider the confident king. He knows the requests of his charges by the depth and gracelessness of their bows.
Consider the open-hearted woman. She senses the needs of a man by the shine in his eyes.
And finally, consider the astute astronomer. He is drawn to discover a new star by the quality of blackness in a certain quarter of the sky.