‘The best papyrus is not that one buried in Alexandria, survivor of fires and extinguished libraries. The best papyrus is that one which is yet to write.’
I still remember when I wrote ‘papyrus’ in Yareah magazine. In July, we dedicated the issue to Avant-Garde authors and I wrote these 8 little papyrus:
1.- What would a Dadaist author say about Summer? Blue ridiculous, red beach of riding clouds, liquid sun in the interior of my toilet. There are not reasons, not rules, not truths. Bourgeoisie is a cancer, wars are a business and businesses are a grey stomach. I am an outsider who likes clowns, who is a green clown in a pink gallery: buffoonery is the only word, my perfect word.
2.- What would Summer say about Apollinaire? Poetry is that snake which bites its tail.
3.- What would Summer say about Eugene Ionesco? It is always more absurd a season than a character, it is always more real a scenario than my rays, it is always an author behind the curtains. Autumn will come and your plays will be applauded again. “The Bald Singer”, “The Rhinoceros”, “The chairs”… Mr. Winter likes them, the same as Mr. Spring is waiting for me, for my warm absurdity.
4.- What would a Surrealist author say about Summer? I see thousands of ants devouring a giant clock in a yellow desert. Desolated, I walk among nightmares which drive me to my unconscious desires: pleasure, repression, SEX. Maybe I study the superstructure of the world, perhaps I believe in Jung’s ideas or maybe I am a post Freud’s writer. Anyway, I will follow my instincts.
5.- What would Summer say about André Breton? You do not need to be Communist to be an avant-garde writer and you do not need to look into Marx the roots of a Surrealist poem. Everybody will leave you in spite of your leadership, of having been the author of “The Surrealist Manifesto” and of having live in the perfect time for creation.
6.- What would Summer say about Samuel Beckett? Waiting for Spring, I imagined a novel with empty pages and the placid face of a man who is not born. Has Godot arrived? I think he is not in a near theatre, I think he is not in Dublin or New York. The fog is falling over The Sorbonne and the wind is whispering a word that I forgot: God.
7.- What would a Futurist author say about Summer? Time for running, for surfing, for driving my new car..., always enjoying the pleasure of risk, of high speed. Time for living intensively, for thinking in next projects, for feeling my own strength…, always trusting in the future, in the changes. Time for strong people who love the fights of this world, of this jungle of iron and steal…, always bowl secure people.
8.- What would a Symbolist author say about Summer? It is an image of extreme feelings, a good metaphor for torrid loves, for explosions and wars. It is a glass without whiskey, a silent Moon, an impertinent echo…, this friendly prostitute that once said: “I like you”.
It was fantastic to write these little pieces. Now, I am fond of short stories and flash fiction, and I can see this old work with ‘papyrus’ as an essay of my current interests.
To honor my old beloved Yareah magazine, today I have written this flash inspired in these previous works:
What would a Dadaist author say about our recent economical crisis? Ridiculous money, red car of an aggressive man, liquid stock market in the interior of my toilet. There are not reasons, not rules, not truths. Wars are a cancer, a business..., and businesses are a grey stomach. I am an outsider who likes clowns.
