11.2.09

欢迎!

o mais antipático par de lojistas do rato, estranhamente os mais antigos da zona, acabam de dar lugar a dois jovens (chineses), de ar inteligente e afável, que assim passaram a ser, senão os mais simpáticos (tenho lá vários amigos igualmente simpáticos) pelo menos os mais recentes comerciantes do largo (se é que 'largo' se pode chamar a esse mal parido espaço urbanístico, espécie de corredor, mais estreito que largo, torto e desnivelado).

deparando hoje com o que ontem era a loja dos sapatos tristes e monótonos, entre os quais se destacavam sempre as pantufas e as chinelas, transmudada em loja de roupa colorida e de acessórios
brilhantes, não resisti a entrar.

desci os degraus com o familar
sentimento de incómodo pela perspectiva do encontro-confronto com o mal encarado patrão e com o militantemente desagradável empregado. mas, ao dar de caras com o grande sorriso aberto de uma rapariga e o olhar directo e simpático de um rapaz, foram as "boas vindas" que me sairam da boca e não as "boas tardes". eles, ou por não estarem à espera do conteúdo do cumprimento da freguesa, ou por sentirem na forma dele um entusiasmo genuíno, pararam o que estavam a fazer e perguntaram-lhe, com um misto de doce ironia e inteligente admiração, porque é que ela os achava "bem vindos" ao largo do rato. ao que a freguesa, sabe deus porquê, subitamente lembrada da maria parda, respondeu que antes queria gente nova que a levasse do que gente da sua idade que a derrubasse. não sem antes lhes ter explicado, bastante eufemisticamente, que os senhores que dantes lá estavam não eram nada "calorosos" com os clientes.

um post, duas notas de rodapé

derivado de "hunters and gatherers", a expressão (muito antropológica) na qual os dois termos são complementares - mas não-opostos entre si, o par "hunters and collectors" opõe e estabelece uma hierarquia entre 'caçadores' e 'coleccionadores'. * sendo por aí que pareceu plausível aproximá-lo ao par criado por yeats nestes dois versos: the best lack all conviction and the worst/ are full of passionate intensity. **

* "... the idea comes from the term hunters and gatherers, but I think hunters and collectors works better in a modern setting" escreve o autor do par coleccionadores-caçadores, numa comunicação pessoal.
** final da primeira estrofe de "second coming",
aquele espantoso poema no qual o falcão se distancia, em redemoinho ascencional, do seu treinador.

the red ladder ou a escada do diabo

10.2.09

o caminho da memória

sei agora que os ajuizados fantasmas sentados à nossa mesa, na cave da d. Carlos I, não eram outros senão os "ministros velados, omnipresentes da memória". E nós - daí a dourada claridade sobrenatural que nos iluminava? - as "crianças de antigamente".

Leskov: "The blue ladder"

When the holy Apostle Peter’s earthly life had terminated, and he was called up to Heaven, the Lord gave him the heavenly keys to the gates of Paradise.
With earnest priestly devotion, the holy apostle went about his exalted business, unlocking the gates of Paradise to the souls of those who had earned heavenly blessedness in their earthly life, by the decision of the Most High and Righteous Judge. And so he continued for many years, in a steady and habitual manner. But one day, the apostle Peter came before the Lord God in a very troubled state, kissed the sleeve of His luminous robe, and said: "O Lord, may Thy wrath not come upon me! I must bring my troubles before you. Lo, for many days now I have been seeing people whom I have not allowed in through the gates of paradise, in this Thy most illustrious garden. I cannot explain how they come to be here. Their faces do not in any way resemble the faces of the righteous. I fear that this may be a trick of the evil one. He and his servants are capable of every kind of craftiness. Knowing that the keys are always in my possession and that there is no other entrance, I am much perplexed, even saddened."
The Lord responded: "It is your duty and responsibility. Watch closely those who enter paradise, and there shall be no unwanted guests."
A few more days passed, and the apostle appeared again before the Lord Sabbaoth: "O great and merciful God, every day more and more strangers steal up to paradise, I know not how over the heavenly fence. I address Thy wisdom and power. I myself have no power, and my wisdom is insignificant. Thou alone art All-knowing.
Then God said: "Come with Me, Saint Peter. Let us visit together all the regions of paradise and let us see for ourselves what is the cause of these occurrences, that have provoked such justified and praiseworthy unrest in thee. Let us go!"
And off they went. The Lord in front, the apostle following. They walked for a long time, and even got tired. At last they reached an orchard of oranges and through the branches glimpsed a blue robe. Quietly they approached, and what did they see? At the foot of the hill, on a green, daisy-strewn clearing, stood the Most Holy Virgin looking down from the edge of the deep abyss, from where the earth and all the people on it could be seen. And in the hands of the Most-Pure One, barely visible, the most delicate ladder - woven from the finest blue silk.
Passionate cries arose from the abyss. Fiery supplications from sufferers could be heard. And lo, suddenly the All-Pure One let down the feathery ladder. It unrolled, and one by one the wretched, tortured, tired, forgotten people, men and women, climbed it, poured into the clearing, and timidly disappeared into the flowered paths and forests of the gardens of paradise.
And as each saved one passed, the Most Holy Theotokos raised up her divinely beautiful hands and said with tenderness: "My Lord and God, Thou seest, hearest and knowest all. By Thy unfathomable mercy, forgive me for disturbing the order Thou hast established in Thy holy paradise. But I too have lived on the earth, and I as well, am a mother. Can I refuse a mother who prays for her son? Am I not the Mother of the entire weak and suffering mankind? Forgive my sin."
Then the Lord lay His mighty hand on the Apostle Peter's shoulder and said: "Let us depart quietly from here. We have no business here…"

9.2.09

A CRISE

tentando perceber a imagem da "constelação" que WB propôs e opôs à da "linha recta" (representativa do que seria o linear e inevitável "progresso" da história) encontrei esta sua declaração cuja actualidade me parece depender apenas da substituição da palavra "fascismo" pela palavra "crise" :

"The tradition of the oppressed teaches us that the 'state of emergency' in which we live is not the exception but the rule. We must attain to a conception of history that is in keeping with this insight. Then we shall clearly realize that it is our task to bring about a real state of emergency, and this will improve our position in the struggle against Fascism. One reason why Fascism has a chance is that in the name of progress its opponents treat it as a historical norm. The current amazement that the things we are experiencing are 'still' possible in the twentieth century is not philosophical. This amazement is not the beginning of knowledge--unless it is the knowledge that the view of history which gives rise to it is untenable."

Walter Benjamin, "Theses on the Philosophy of History,"
(Spring, 1940) trans. Harry Zohn
.