Kino Efficency
The Kino Brecht Fist was (yet another!) resounding success, with NO technicals, a CD playing 14 versions of 'Mack the Knife' and crisps as entertainment. Next up is a Genet themed extravaganza of boys and brutality, with Fassbinder's last film, and candidate for 'greatest cinematography in film history' Querelle, which I have written a fair few things about, plus his own Un Chant d'Amour. Usual place, one pound, with free zine.
Incidentally, a plea to my readers: yes, all 117 of you. In the sleevenote to Patti Smith's Wave is an unattributed Genet quote- 'my sleepers will flee toward another America'. If anyone knows the provenance of this line, could they please please let me know? Thanks!
posted by owen hatherley at 1:58 pm
7 Comments:
"In the sleevenote to Patti Smith's Wave is an unattributed Genet quote- 'my sleepers will flee toward another America'. If anyone knows the provenance of this line, could they please please let me know? Thanks!"
yeah, I can't help you on the provenance.
But i can help give you the context:
"Oh, go through walls; if you must, walk on the ledges of roofs, of oceans; cover yourself with light; use menace, use prayer...my sleepers will flee toward another America."
now to warn you, It seems fishy, one of those things that loops back to the same source al la the smallpox blankets in germs guns and steel, so watch out.
It's from the following poem from 1942:
Le Condamné à mort/The Prisoner Condemned to Death dedicated to Maurice Pilorge, who was executed aged 20.
O traverse les murs; s'il le faut marche au bord
Des toits, des océans; couvre-toi de lumière,
Use de la menace, use de la prière,
[...] Mes dormeurs vont s'enfuir vers une autre Amérique.
Oh pass through the walls, and if you must
walk to the edge -- of rooftops, of oceans
Cover yourself with light, use threats, use prayer
[...] then my sleepers take flight
toward another
America.
See here
The last two stanzas:
'This isn't the morning they guillotine me
I can sleep easy.
On the floor above, my lazy love
my golden boy, my pearl will awake
to stomp with hard boots
upon my shorn skull.
As if an epileptic lives next door
the prison sleeps standing
in the dark of a dead man's song
if sailors on the water see ports approaching
then my sleepers take flight
toward another
America.'
Read the whole thing - it's pretty stunning, as is Genet's note: ' I have dedicated this poem to the memory of my friend Maurice Pilorge, whose radiant face and body haunt my sleepless nights...'
Why, thank you!
i think this will have relevance for kino fffist as well as for your recent discussion of wim wenders, so do please comment:
http://parodycentrum.wordpress.com/2007/03/02/the-life-of-others-das-leben-der-anderen/
Owen, out of curiosity, does Patti Smith herself originally (mis)transcribe "flee", for flight, or does this erring belong to your unconscious?
On the back of Wave, the poem is indeed transcribed as:
'Oh go through the walls; if you must, walk on the ledges/Of roofs, of oceans; cover yourself with light; Use menace, use prayer...
My sleepers will flee toward another America'
'flee' is not that bad a translation for s'enfuir, but to preserve the reflexive 'take flight' is better, and sounds a lot more intriguing than flee.
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