LOOK FOR ANTONIO PORTA'S METROPOLIS Translated by Pasquale Verdicchio Soon to be published by Sun and Moon Press

Self-consciuosness of a servant


1. (To produce)

There: I'm already dead
in other words I no longer produce
I'm on this side of the window
looking at what happens outside
not that this condition is to my liking
every rapport erased
like when I produced 
and so there is no difference
I invite you to find the error 
since life is not
the same as death




2. (Body)

inexorable is a light wind as well
let's try to count these seasons
and let's begin with shivers of fear
life lost in the product
so as to uphold life
knowing the marvelous is not given
awaiting that certainty is lost in the air
a body to move
since  behind and beneath there is a body
already dead of servant



3.  (Atrophy)

The pigeon clutching the vine
beats its beak against the wall
of ahouse with shuttered windows.
The space of vital movements
presses at the walls from the rear rooms.
It wants to solicit with pecks
and the sight the smell and touch used inside
exude from the pores of the ancient plaster.
Full of men and women hidden
in the space that work precludes
the pigeon has discovered living bodies attached
now out here sniffing
at the atrophied organs of the servants
they are under the illusion that they are procreating!
and they are still hungry for fruit!



4.  (Death as Life)

so then I go out and the other moves its head
I move my head
and the other raises his arms and I
raise my arms he sits and I
sit like this on and on
and the other like others
and all together then we stand and sit
the arms the hands the eyes
moves his lips and we move them too

still living a servant like
a dead man lives the boss since
bosses recognize themselves
from death and servants in life
from this life another still is born
the bosses distribute nothing
and blood stains

since I come from that death
therefore I'm a servant so as to live then
conscious of this you will see
how death the bosses
will erase themselves: the body
seems to go on while the soul
is dead!




5.  (Zelda)

if they attempt to save me
the bars fixed to the windows
when the fire is already too developed
there is no way to leave
leaving the wooden ladder they catch
fire with the firemen straight down
I'll be recognized from a slipper
and let that slipper be preserved in every home barred shut
since no-one comes to save themselves
and will burn with you

like the fire like slipper-woman like unhappy lover
I run all my life as if they were two or three lives
this means that I produce double and like everyone
I surround myself with bars I lean down only
to kiss my cat
what else if not allow you
to adore my slipper




6.  (The invention of the sail)

the invention of the sail
observations about the wind
the wind can push
therefore the canvas
over a surface smooth and without lumps
water
wood and canvas
everyone runs on the water
to see 
the canvas man disappear
everyone runs on the waters
serve the master
of the wind and ships
they are having fun keeping ready
at the seashore is found
the happiness of pups
of masters of servants
the scream the sails burnt




7.  (Hymn to the Night)

how much
then you/I
thunder
rise from the voices
everything
not servant
eyes and mouth
in the forest of eyes
free to be resucked
faint at the memory of life
sails
from a home and inside
looking at the open windows
surrounded by benevolent insects
tree foliage raised
uncovers the breast
of where you ran away

upright
prone
eat 
shining
so nothing?
burial and exit from the earth
around a ball
teeth in the air
at the borders
in and out for a breath
without doors
full 
because suspended
my
oh invasion of space
whistles
screams of revolt




8.  (Wood)

dog among dogs chasers and chased
at the edge of a very deep wood
the nets already set of a boss that plays
fruits and needles and soft moss
and what freedom in the race

field wood forest and stain
the man that enters becomes unreacheable
face and hands protected from the lights in mid-air
leaves borders of the earth




9.  (Visit to the Necropolis in Norchia)

man/death		man/earth
life/death		man/tomb
tomb/tree		dust/tomb
rock/tomb		horse/tomb
man/life		swords/life
defences/life		struggles/life
water/life		rock/man
man/triangle		man/digs
man/leaf		beats/man
tomb/bird		man/prey
prey/death		prey/life
living/man		man/death
man/horse		man/bird
outside/inside		you/me
the other/me		everything/me
me/everything		eye/tomb
sound/tomb		tongue/tomb
rain/tomb		tongue/rain
tongue/sees		growl/life
circle/death		love/death
life/love		dust/bird
flies/death		presses/earth
slither/life		burn/death
sweat/life		call/tomb
tomb/life		roof/death
hole/death		hole/flies
tight/tomb		have/life
hole/emptiness		tomb/without


(august 1971 - january 1972)





THE NOMAD'S UTOPIA


Movements

1.

he moves in the season it's allowed
every place has rules dictated by climate
in the unforgiving season
he moves to survive or live
in winter he will work inside
knowing the customs of many places
food will be given him in exchange



2.

first riches are hands and intelligence
the second richness brings the other close
can return to similar places transhumant
mutating itinerary repeat the rotation of the earth
returns toward the end in a place established at the beginning



3.

will have sons by one or more women
takes the necessary time to instruct them
what the woman knows or the women provide until the father
returns to tell stories if the sons don't follow the father
they will speak without roles



4.

leaves behind him a preyed upon land
surrounded by boneless men saying
the riches elsewhere without lieing



5.

when standing still in salute
grow sink roots from the feet
rip them away without pain at departure



6.

the city is called Image it has no limits
nor centers can reflect itself
place where to meet is not therefore
a city but a point of protection
arcades or tents vegetable and animal place
place of waters and cultivations men
meet there or leave as they wish manifest
thought language that should be taken literally
system of planes and curves to move up and down
behind women behind children and animals
propriety of land does not exist




7.

they move away from the plain occupied by Industry
men without having themselves counted is not a leader
abandoned territories mountainous habitable
they learn to do without of that the Rich one
may she disappear insecticide hole of the earth
Chemical Cathedral






Letters


1.

in the place of rotating high-plains
simple butterflies raise brief pastures
a lake as the foundation of motion
everything is produced within those present
this is what I have to tell you, dear ones





2.

nothing more than a dark October night
without yeast it can't be perforated
no eyes and not even a memory
passage object or image
wall before speaking to ourselves we must get well



3.

with a long pole pencil from far away
I could I'm sure draw from a distance
above multiplied many well-known faces
change in many ways each of those faces
while I press closer to walls and partitions
everything has vanished and another day
I discover them again from a distance
I feel them fly off and return



4.

along the walls drools of wind drag butterflies
above the city that crush it
these men in a dry mist
luminous umbrellas open
it's a sign they wish to speak, dear ones
in the vanishing city



5.

feet sink in the soft earth
feet forget themselves in the soft earth
forgetful he moves away on wooden crutches
his legs give way at the edge of the brush
here the ground flourishes all like a carpet
there's a head resting on the windowsill
a tongue sticks out in thirst
exhausted by deception
land of Spring
remember





6.

islands floating heavy with foliage
slow islands navigate in the air
the motion blows through the foliage soft wind
men and women stretched out on the rocks watching
suspended islands of celestial foliage
floating men and women look up
neither gifts nor fruit fall
it is a vision for everyone





7.

for a season of lethargy seasons beneath the earth
under blankets of leaves a multicoloured body
I dream a celestial sleep hanging bulbs
all of you ready to receive me
since everything must be decided
as soon as one awakes


[1972]

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