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Robert Sheppard
from A Translated Man: the double oeuvre of René Van Valckenborch Revolutionary Song after Bill Viola the lone Fiat on the boulevard dissolves the crack lone Fiat on the boulevard dissolves the crack of Fiat on the boulevard dissolves the crack of thunder on the boulevard dissolves the crack of thunder sounds the boulevard dissolves the crack of thunder sounds like boulevard dissolves the crack of thunder sounds like bricks dissolves the crack of thunder sounds like bricks crashing the crack of thunder sounds like bricks crashing birds crack of thunder sounds like bricks crashing birds fleeing of thunder sounds like bricks crashing birds fleeing the thunder sounds like bricks crashing birds fleeing the sky sounds like bricks crashing birds fleeing the sky dissolve like bricks crashing birds fleeing the sky dissolve pearl-grey bricks crashing birds fleeing the sky dissolve pearl-grey streaks crashing birds fleeing the sky dissolve pearl-grey streaks caught birds fleeing the sky dissolve pearl-grey streaks caught in fleeing the sky dissolve pearl-grey streaks caught in sunlight the sky dissolve pearl-grey streaks caught in sunlight the sky dissolve pearl-grey streaks caught in sunlight the bleeding dissolve pearl-grey streaks caught in sunlight the bleeding man pearl-grey streaks caught in sunlight the bleeding man strung streaks caught in sunlight the bleeding man strung up caught in sunlight the bleeding man strung up in in sunlight the bleeding man strung up in the sunlight the bleeding man strung up in the tree the bleeding man strung up in the tree dissolves bleeding man strung up in the tree dissolves the man strung up in the tree dissolves the banker strung up in the tree dissolves the banker deliberately up in the tree dissolves the banker deliberately looks in the tree dissolves the banker deliberately looks bored the tree dissolves the banker deliberately looks bored at tree dissolves the banker deliberately looks bored at his dissolves the banker deliberately looks bored at his trial the banker deliberately looks bored at his trial the banker deliberately looks bored at his trial the abandoned deliberately looks bored at his trial the abandoned car looks bored at his trial the abandoned car by bored at his trial the abandoned car by the at his trial the abandoned car by the lighthouse his trial the abandoned car by the lighthouse dissolves trial the abandoned car by the lighthouse dissolves the the abandoned car by the lighthouse dissolves the Magic abandoned car by the lighthouse dissolves the Magic Muslim car by the lighthouse dissolves the Magic Muslim walks by the lighthouse dissolves the Magic Muslim walks by the lighthouse dissolves the Magic Muslim walks by the lighthouse dissolves the Magic Muslim walks by the sandbags dissolves the Magic Muslim walks by the sandbags the the Magic Muslim walks by the sandbags the framed Magic Muslim walks by the sandbags the framed photograph Muslim walks by the sandbags the framed photograph of walks by the sandbags the framed photograph of victims by the sandbags the framed photograph of victims dissolves the sandbags the framed photograph of victims dissolves the sandbags the framed photograph of victims dissolves the slick the framed photograph of victims dissolves the slick pornography framed photograph of victims dissolves the slick pornography of photograph of victims dissolves the slick pornography of stainless of victims dissolves the slick pornography of stainless steel victims dissolves the slick pornography of stainless steel glints dissolves the slick pornography of stainless steel glints the the slick pornography of stainless steel glints the spangled slick pornography of stainless steel glints the spangled acrobats pornography of stainless steel glints the spangled acrobats in of stainless steel glints the spangled acrobats in mid-air stainless steel glints the spangled acrobats in mid-air dissolve steel glints the spangled acrobats in mid-air dissolve the glints the spangled acrobats in mid-air dissolve the packing the spangled acrobats in mid-air dissolve the packing case spangled acrobats in mid-air dissolve the packing case tower acrobats in mid-air dissolve the packing case tower blocks in mid-air dissolve the packing case tower blocks rear mid-air dissolve the packing case tower blocks rear up dissolve the packing case tower blocks rear up at the packing case tower blocks rear up at the packing case tower blocks rear up at the day case tower blocks rear up at the day blindfolded tower blocks rear up at the day blindfolded men blocks rear up at the day blindfolded men in rear up at the day blindfolded men in dark up at the day blindfolded men in dark cells at the day blindfolded men in dark cells dissolve the day blindfolded men in dark cells dissolve thunder day blindfolded men in dark cells dissolve thunder vomits blindfolded men in dark cells dissolve thunder vomits behind men in dark cells dissolve thunder vomits behind the in dark cells dissolve thunder vomits behind the screen dark cells dissolve thunder vomits behind the screen of cells dissolve thunder vomits behind the screen of rain dissolve thunder vomits behind the screen of rain her thunder vomits behind the screen of rain her curved vomits behind the screen of rain her curved back behind the screen of rain her curved back as the screen of rain her curved back as she screen of rain her curved back as she stoops of rain her curved back as she stoops for rain her curved back as she stoops for the her curved back as she stoops for the bath curved back as she stoops for the bath towel back as she stoops for the bath towel dissolves as she stoops for the bath towel dissolves blood she stoops for the bath towel dissolves blood covers stoops for the bath towel dissolves blood covers the for the bath towel dissolves blood covers the priest's the bath towel dissolves blood covers the priest's fresh bath towel dissolves blood covers the priest's fresh surplice towel dissolves blood covers the priest's fresh surplice the dissolves blood covers the priest's fresh surplice the blush blood covers the priest's fresh surplice the blush of covers the priest's fresh surplice the blush of the the priest's fresh surplice the blush of the winning priest's fresh surplice the blush of the winning beauty fresh surplice the blush of the winning beauty queen surplice the blush of the winning beauty queen dissolves the blush of the winning beauty queen dissolves independence blush of the winning beauty queen dissolves independence is of the winning beauty queen dissolves independence is declared the winning beauty queen dissolves independence is declared in winning beauty queen dissolves independence is declared in the beauty queen dissolves independence is declared in the regions queen dissolves independence is declared in the regions the dissolves independence is declared in the regions the leashed independence is declared in the regions the leashed dog is declared in the regions the leashed dog on declared in the regions the leashed dog on its in the regions the leashed dog on its walk the regions the leashed dog on its walk dissolves regions the leashed dog on its walk dissolves the the leashed dog on its walk dissolves the melodious leashed dog on its walk dissolves the melodious pissoir dog on its walk dissolves the melodious pissoir of on its walk dissolves the melodious pissoir of Ste-Catherine its walk dissolves the melodious pissoir of Ste-Catherine sings walk dissolves the melodious pissoir of Ste-Catherine sings walls dissolves the melodious pissoir of Ste-Catherine sings walls of the melodious pissoir of Ste-Catherine sings walls of butterflies melodious pissoir of Ste-Catherine sings walls of butterflies dissolve pissoir of Ste-Catherine sings walls of butterflies dissolve rain of Ste-Catherine sings walls of butterflies dissolve rain settles Ste-Catherine sings walls of butterflies dissolve rain settles into sings walls of butterflies dissolve rain settles into the walls of butterflies dissolve rain settles into the easiest of butterflies dissolve rain settles into the easiest option butterflies dissolve rain settles into the easiest option the dissolve rain settles into the easiest option the gushing rain settles into the easiest option the gushing eaves settles into the easiest option the gushing eaves of into the easiest option the gushing eaves of tomorrow the easiest option the gushing eaves of tomorrow dissolve Robert Sheppard (who is British) is not the 'onlie begetter' of René Van Valckenborch. The translator of this poem, Martin Krol, supposedly in Flemish, is equally fictional (as is his Walloon translator, Anniemie Dupuis). Van Valckenborch is not a hoax but a fictional Belgian poet operative in the early years of this century. This poem comes from the period when he was most experimenting with spatial relations and with a retardational poetics which followed Badiou's suggestion that revolt today may require leisureliness not celerity. The entire project is due for publication in 2013 by Shearsman, who publish his latest poetry volume, Berlin Bursts. Read early poems (both in Walloon and Flemish) here:
http://www.theadirondackreview.com/VanValckenborch.html Related to 'Revolutionary Song' is 'Van Valckenborch's Cube': http://ekleksographia.ahadadabooks.com/issuethree/authors/sheppard.pdf As is his Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/VanValckenborch Read all 100 collected together and then some separately with photographs (after the link to his 'Cube') at http://robertsheppard.blogspot.co.uk/2010_12_01_archive.html Follow further instalments at www.robertsheppard.blogspot.com |