May 2016
I DENY THE EXISTENCE OF DEATH
( for Timothy Ades )
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
( for Timothy Ades )
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
****
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.
***
The lines quoted in my poem are from Desnos' LA VOIX
Une voix, une voix qui vient de si ****
Qu’elle ne fait plus tinter les oreilles,
Une voix, comme un tambour voilée
Parvient, pourtant, distinctement jusqu’à nous
Bien qu’elle semble sortir d’un tombeau
Elle ne parle que d’été et de printemps,
Elle emplit le corps de joie,
Elle allume aux lèvres le sourire.
Je l’écoute. Ce n’est qu’une voix humaine
Qui traverse le fracas de la vie et des batailles
L’écroulement du tonnerre et le murmure des bavardages.
Et vous ? Ne l’entendez-vous pas ?
Elle dit : « La peine sera de courte durée »
Elle dit : « La belle saison est proche »
Ne l’entendez-vous pas ?
Robert Desnos (Contrée, 1944)
****
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..
And so it was with even greater pleasure that we managed to coax him back to dazzle us with Desnos at The Keystone where he delighted many a monkey. We eagerly await his forthcoming book of Desnos which will be coming soon to a mind near you. Be prepared to be Desnos'd all over again.
What a pleasure it is to know Mr Desnos waking about in the voice of Timothy Ades.
https://youtu.be/znijbQvfJZs
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.
***
The lines quoted in my poem are from Desnos' LA VOIX
Une voix, une voix qui vient de si ****
Qu’elle ne fait plus tinter les oreilles,
Une voix, comme un tambour voilée
Parvient, pourtant, distinctement jusqu’à nous
Bien qu’elle semble sortir d’un tombeau
Elle ne parle que d’été et de printemps,
Elle emplit le corps de joie,
Elle allume aux lèvres le sourire.
Je l’écoute. Ce n’est qu’une voix humaine
Qui traverse le fracas de la vie et des batailles
L’écroulement du tonnerre et le murmure des bavardages.
Et vous ? Ne l’entendez-vous pas ?
Elle dit : « La peine sera de courte durée »
Elle dit : « La belle saison est proche »
Ne l’entendez-vous pas ?
Robert Desnos (Contrée, 1944)
****
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..
And so it was with even greater pleasure that we managed to coax him back to dazzle us with Desnos at The Keystone where he delighted many a monkey. We eagerly await his forthcoming book of Desnos which will be coming soon to a mind near you. Be prepared to be Desnos'd all over again.
What a pleasure it is to know Mr Desnos waking about in the voice of Timothy Ades.
https://youtu.be/znijbQvfJZs
(Guildford)
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