of fog
and ice
and ice
when folk arrive
by trams and cars
to join the crowds
of graveyard crows
and crowd to bend in fallen
and crowd to bend in fallen
leaves by graves
of friends. My hope:
ride out the fog and ice
the pumpkin thing
and see those clouds
of crows
of crows
flying north
in spring.
in spring.
 |
| Franz West 1947 - 2012 |
What is it?
A monster sausage waiting to be cooked?
A monster sausage waiting to be cooked?
A giant worm emerging from the ground?
An inflatable finger pointing into space?
It is made of aluminium. It can be found in the Artists Section at the Zentral Friedhof in Vienna. It marks the grave of the artist Franz West whose artistic philosophy went something like this: What art looks like is not so important as what one does with it.
to me
it is pink
and a naked
statement of fact
high
is the church
with her great mausoleum
but not any higher
 |
| Max Weiler 1910 - 2001 |
Most graves have some variant of the words Rest in Peace on them.
Regarding the idea of 'REQUIESCAT IN PACE' I am with Max Weiler in that I believe that we are all part of nature, and that being so there can be no eternal rest, peaceful or otherwise, for us. We must all, as he points out, remain forever in the energy field in which we have our natural existence.
On his stone, also in the Artists Section of the Zentral Friedhof, it is written: I will not enter an eternal peace but an eternal energy.
If we want eternal peace
we must enter a different universe,
a universe of -273°C
or absolute zero i.e 0°K
a cold place where nothing can move
and therefore nothing can exist. My idea of hell.
The subjects of Max Weiler's paintings include: The Good Garden, The Large Flower, and The Euphoric Hills.
 |
| Ernst Jandl 1925 - 2000 |
Austrian poet Ernst Jandl is another to found in the Artists Corner of the Zentral Friedhof. To learn more about this amazingly eccentric character just click on his thumbnail image in my sidebar and you will be taken directly to his memorial website featuring some unique sound-bites.
Not sure that I like this idea at all Gwil - give me eternal peace any time. Interesting that the word verification begins with the word God!
ReplyDeleteAs for pumpkins, I quite like them. I keep meaning to cook one around this time of year instead of just carving one but never get round to it - I have a weakness for pumpkin pie.
ReplyDeleteGreat gravestone there. Kurt Schwitters' is not that far from here (I think we've discussed him and his grave before).
Pat, I wonder, for if you find the eternal peace it means you can never come back. . .
ReplyDeleteDominic, I don't mind eating the things. Pumpkin soup I like. But the trick or treat and the ghostly ambush I can do without! Thanks, I'll try refresh my KW memory via Wiki!
Ah yes, Ambleside.
ReplyDeleteforgotten what I was going to say - been interupted by a woman from Swansea (or so she said) wanting to sort out my PPI mis-sold refunds. May she burn or freeze in hell.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately Gerald the murky waters of our shark infested seas run even to wales for it is the home of the mint, times have changed much since welsh coal miners were amply paid in golden sovereigns
ReplyDeleteNot having the energy (0°K) to move; also my idea of hell.
ReplyDeleteOblivion.
ReplyDelete