Aug 2015
Timothy opens
his mouth
and butterflies
fly out.
The room abounds
with butterflies
all claiming to be
Robert Desnos.
Words released
into a voice
" a soul
without a body"
moves amongst us
and moves us.
The ghost of Robert's voice...
"Bien qu'elle semble sortir d'un tombeau
Elle ne parle que d'été et de printemps,"
whispers in my ear...
"Elle emplit le corps de joie,
Elle allume aux lèvres sourire."
Carried high on the shoulders
of the voice of Timothy Ades
Robert Desnos
is passing.
I stand up
and bow
his mouth
and butterflies
fly out.
The room abounds
with butterflies
all claiming to be
Robert Desnos.
Words released
into a voice
" a soul
without a body"
moves amongst us
and moves us.
The ghost of Robert's voice...
"Bien qu'elle semble sortir d'un tombeau
Elle ne parle que d'été et de printemps,"
whispers in my ear...
"Elle emplit le corps de joie,
Elle allume aux lèvres sourire."
Carried high on the shoulders
of the voice of Timothy Ades
Robert Desnos
is passing.
I stand up
and bow
At the Bar Des Arts Timothy Ades got up and read a funny Brecht and as I was priming the next reader he
suddenly announced that he was going to read Robert Desnos' LE PAPILLON and this glorious tone poem burst upon the air and I was lost for words. I adore Robert Desnos but had never heard him in somebody's voice before...the sheer joy of it( knowing what a terrible fate he had)brought tears to my eyes. It was as if all the happiness that ever was...rolled into this one voice flinging itself against death.
LE PAPILLON
Trois cents millions de papillons
Sont arrivés à Châtillon
Afin d’y boire du bouillon,
Châtillon-sur-Loire,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Seine.
Plaignez les gens de Châtillon !
Ils n’ont plus d’yeux dans leur bouillon
Mais des millions de papillons.
Châtillon-sur-Seine,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Loire..
suddenly announced that he was going to read Robert Desnos' LE PAPILLON and this glorious tone poem burst upon the air and I was lost for words. I adore Robert Desnos but had never heard him in somebody's voice before...the sheer joy of it( knowing what a terrible fate he had)brought tears to my eyes. It was as if all the happiness that ever was...rolled into this one voice flinging itself against death.
LE PAPILLON
Trois cents millions de papillons
Sont arrivés à Châtillon
Afin d’y boire du bouillon,
Châtillon-sur-Loire,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Seine.
Plaignez les gens de Châtillon !
Ils n’ont plus d’yeux dans leur bouillon
Mais des millions de papillons.
Châtillon-sur-Seine,
Châtillon-sur-Marne,
Châtillon-sur-Loire..
(Guildford)
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