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Z'r The Word Exchange Beyond Na, *—*^ T Carlos Monsivâis Rosa Beltrân Veronica Volkow pr Ernesto Lumbreras Daniel Sada Enrique Serna
Danielle Miller Douglas Coupland Monique Larue Interview: Michael Ondaatje Leandro Urbina Thomas King Anne-Marie Alonzo Music: Janice Kulyk-Keefer De cômo Esquivel perdiô el Garcia ± — Graciela Martinez-Zalce Esquivel, Yé-Yé and Me „,.„ _ — Will Straw Media Renaissance is at the forefront of the digital information revolution providing integrated expertise to meet all of your multimedia communication requirements. info: (tel) 514 844 8866
THIS ISSUE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Anne-Marie Alonzo, It Can't Last 25 Douglas Coupland Isaac Augustine, Rosa Belrran, Douglas Coupland, Thomas King, Janice Kulyk-Kecfer, Monique Larue, Ernesto Lumbreras, Carlos Prison humaine 28 Monique Larue Monsivais, Michael Ondaatje, Daniel Sada, Enrique Serna, Will Straw, Graciela Martinez-Zalce The Cinnamon Peeler, Heron
Danielle Miller was in charge of editing this issue. Rex, White Dwarves, In a Yellow
COVER: Martine Doyon Yellow Room A House Divided 30 Michael Ondaatje DESIGN: ViccD and Guy Verville, Mégatexte TYPESETTING: Mégatexte inc., Montréal Changing Woman, PROOF-READERS: Michel Rudcl-Tcssier, Elisa Shenkier Old Woman 33 Thomas King PHOTOGRAPHERS: Martine Doyon, Jean Facchin, Marie-Hélène Parant, Mauro Percssini Galia s'était cloitrée 36 Anne-Marie Alonzo ILLUSTRATORS: Johanne Bcaulieu, Normand Cousincau, Jacques Coumoyer, Ninon, Alain Pilon April Showers 38 Janice Kulyk-Keefer DISTRIBUTION Québec: Messageries Dynamiques ph (514) 663-9000: Rest of Canada CMPA ph (416) 504-0274: New York City: Speedimpex ph (718) 392-7477 Interview PRINTER Payette & Simms, Saint-Lambert, QC, Canada, ph (514) 672-6380 Leandro Urbina 43 William Anselmi Many thanks to Nicolas van Schendel Music Second class number 6385 Legal Deposit: Canadian National Library and Bibliothèque Nationale De cômo Esquivel perdiô el Garcia 44 Graciela Martinez-Zalce du Quebec. Vice Vers.i i> indexed in Cinadian Periodical Index. Vice Versa is member of CMPA. Esquivel, Yé-Yé and Me 45 Will Straw Funding assistance from The Canada Council, Conseil des arts de la communauté urbaine de Montréal. Book Reviews This issue has received financial support from the Lush Freams, Blue Exile 46 Heritage Cultures and Languages Program of the Canadian Heritage Department. Inside Statues of Saints MANUSCRIPTS: Address to Vice Versa. The magazine is not When the Fox is a Thousand responsible for the return of unsolicited manuscripts. Editorial CANADA AND MEXICO THE WORD EXCHANGE BEYOND NAFTA
he historian Benedict Anderson In Canada as in Mexico, this struggle in his book Imagined for identity has been fought on two fronts, Communities defines the citing both space (America) and popula nation as "an imagined tion as grounds for uniqueness. Tpolitical community — and imag Ethnically diverse, both countries have ined as both inherently limited had to resist the cultural, political, and sovereign". In so doing, he economic and social influences of unveils the fundamentally fiction two larger powers, Europe and the al nature of this concept that con United States. As a result, Canada tinues to shape the way we per and Mexico have resorted to simi ceive ourselves and that has led us lar techniques fot defining into numerous con themselves; either through flicts among nations eugenic theories that at the — usually with terrify turn of the century promot ing results. What dis ed a new and stronger breed tinguishes each com of man emanating from the munity, according to New World or through elab Anderson, is the way orate attempts to play the in which it is imag United States and Europe ined by its inhabi off against each other. tants, who although As the twentieth cen they may never tury draws to a close, meet, and despite the despite the substantial bod inequalities dividing ies of national art and lit them, believe they erature in Canada and in share a same communi Mexico, the push to define ty beyond which exist the nation persists. In an other communities. attempt to promote cross- Anderson's definition cultural understanding seems straightforward between two countries that enough until we ask until recently have shown ourselves who imagines little interest in each other, the community. How? Vice Versa has decided to And for what purpose? publish a selection of poetry In the case of most New and fiction by five World countries these Mexican writers (Daniel are not simple questions Sada, Rosa Beltrân, Enrique to answer. Sema, Ernesto Lumbreras and Veronica Volkow) and six Canadian artists As a contribution (Anne-Marie Alonzo, to this debate, Vice Douglas Coupland, Janice Versa, along with it; Kulyk-Keefer, Thomas Mexican counterpar King, Monique Larue and also called Viceversa, Michael Ondaatje). will explore and com What do these writings pare the ways in whicl tell us about the respective communities? two New World coun How are they imagined? tries — Canada and Mexico — are imag For what purpose? ined by their writers. Why these two coun We hope that this literary exchange tries in particular? Well, other than a trade World was imagined in order to provide spa will help to forge the cultural links between deal, Canada and Mexico share problems tial and temporal continuity for Europe. But Canada and Mexico that will lead to greater linked to identity. For example, although herein lies the problem. The Old World social and cultural cooperation between the inhabited by Native populations, both attempted to control, classify and tame this two countries. • countries were allegedly first imagined (or new space by applying its established scien "discovered") by foreign European nations, tific and literary techniques — such as be they France, Spain or England. Perceived botany, ethnography, anthropology and as a utopie extension of the Old World, a space less crowded and diseased. The New travel literature — yet the New World resisted, preferring to define itself.
4 VICE VERSA 53 Editorial
n su libro Las comunidades imagi- imaginados por sus escritores. ;Por que estos Mexico han recurrido a técnicas similares nadas el historiador Benedict dos pafses en particular? Pues, ademâs del para autodefinirse, ya sea a través de teorfas Anderson define a la naciôn como tratado comercial, Canada y Mexico com- eugenésicas que a principios de siglo pro "una comunidad polîtica imaginaria parten problemas relativos a la identidad. mo vieron una fuerte y nue va raza de hombre E— e imaginada doblemente como lim- Por ejemplo, aunque habitados por pobla- surgida en el Nuevo Mundo, o a través de itaciôn inhérente y soberanîa". De esta ciones indfgenas, se supone que ambos pafs elaborados intentos de oponer los Estados manera el autor révéla la naturaleza esenci- es fueron imaginados (o "descubiertos") Unidos contra Europa. amente ficcional de este concepto que con primero por naciones europeas como Ya casi al final de nuestro siglo y pesé al tinua dando forma a la manera de Francia, Espana o Inglaterra. Percibidos imponente volumen de literatura y arte percibirnos y que nos ha conducido a como una extension utôpica del Viejo nacional en Canada y en Mexico, la bûsque- numerosos conflictos entre naciones —y las Mundo, como un espacio menos atestado y da de una definiciôn de naciôn persiste. En consecuencias han sido casi siempre cata- con menos enfermedades, el Nuevo Mundo un intento de promover una mayor com- strôficas. Lo que distingue a cada comu fue imaginado con el fin de proveer con- prensiôn entre los espacios culturales de nidad, segûn Anderson, es el modo en que tinuidad temporal y espacial a Europa. Y es ambos pafses, que hasta hace poco esta es imaginada por sus habitantes aquf donde radica el problema. El Viejo demostraron escaso interés en el otro, Vice quienes, aunque nunca lleguen a conocerse Mundo intenté controlar, clasificar y domar Versa ha decidido publicar una selecciôn de y por encima de las desigualdades que les este nuevo espacio con la aplicaciôn de sus poesfa y ficciôn perteneciente a cinco dividen, creen compartir una misma comu técnicas establecidas en el campo cientffico escritores mexicanos (Daniel Sada, Rosa nidad y que mas alla de esta existen otras y literario —taies como la botânica, la etno- Beltrân, Enrique Serna, Ernesto Lumbreras comunidades. La definiciôn de Anderson graffa, la antropologîa y la literatura de via- y Veronica Volkow) y seis artistas canadi- parece lo suficientemente précisa hasta que jes— y sin embargo el Nuevo Mundo resis- enses (Anne Marie Alonzo, Douglas nos preguntamos: ^quién imagina la comu tiô, preferiendo definirse a sf mismo. Coupland, Janice Kulyk-Keefer, Thomas nidad?, ;c6mo?, ;con que propôsito? En el King, Monique Larue y Michael Ondaatje). Tanto en Canada como en Mexico, este caso de los pafses del Nuevo Mundo esta ^Qué nos dicen estos escritos acerca de sus esfuerzo identitario ha sido batallado en dos preguntas no son las mâs sencillas de respectivas comunidades?, VICE VERSA 53 5 CLASSIC ÂflD BARBARIAN Mexican Literature at the End of This Century CARLOS MONSIVÂIS In recent years, Mexican poetry has attracted new readers — by way of obvious allies such as rock lyrics, or thanks to the very development of cultural life — new readers who, as ever, are demanding to see a Poetry: The language clarification, a structuring or a reassertion of of public and secret its spiritual vigour. And maybe, without a prophecies controlling center, all gets fused: "exquisite- ness", "barbarity", suburban dandyism, translated by Andrew Seleanu "stereo music" machismo, hermetism with Assistant Editor of the or without a key to understanding it, the magazine Vice Versa body as protagonist and the body as a signif icant absence, the rhetoric of plain speak ing, the doctrinal arguments and flourishes, n the course of this century, it has been the return to the sonet, mysticism, cultism. the task of poetry to assume the luxu ries and the possibilities offered by lan The specific tradition of Mexican poet guage, as well as the secret or unexpect ry is noteworthy. For example, in the twen Ied forms of an emerging sensibility- In 1910, tieth century we have the works of Salvador as the Mexican revolution erupts, one expe Diaz Mfron, Alfredo R. Placentia, Francisco riences unanimous wonder before the poets, Gonzalez Leôn, Ramon Lopez Velarde, "God's towers, celestial lightning rods", Carlos Pellicer, José Gorostiza, Xavier unacknowledged legislators of humanity. Villarautia, Gilberto Owen, Salvador Novo, Then, during the revolution, the avant- Jorge Cuesta, Renato Leduc, Manuel garde emerges, and so does its desire to con Mapies Arce, Efrain Huerta, Octavio Paz, Bom in 1938, Carlos Monsivais is vert physical aggression or "stones thrown Ali Chumacero, Ruben Bonifaz Nufto, one of Mexico's most prominent in the heart of the celebration" into poetic Rosario Castellanos, Jaime Sabines, acts. A small literary milieu is influenced by Eduardo Lizalde, Gabriel Zaid, José carlos essayist and writer. His career is the slogan: "Everyone is accepted, provided Becerra, José Emilio Pacheco. If one type of marked not only by his array of he (or she) is somebody" (Xavier Villarutia), poetry does not admit descendants (the aes the exorcism of the minority against the thetic vision of traditionalism: Placencia, publications but by the diversity of anti-intellectual atmosphere. Then, during Gonzalez Léon, Lopéz Velarde), almost all their themes. the decade of the twenties, there is a shift have created direct resonance. Thus there He has been active in all the from rhymed to free verse; the vast and rev emerge poets not affiliated to any creed, yet erential public following of the modernist who are maintaining the high level of the branches of the arts; including poets vanishes, faithful readers are being tradition — among them: David Huerta, music, painting, film and literature. attracted a bit haphazardly, the coexistence Ricardo Yafiez, Ricardo Castillo, Fabio between the very rhetorical and the very Morâbito, Jaime Reyes, Silvia Tomasa He has also given numerous sentimental is so-to-say "legalized". Later, Rivera, Antonio Del Toro, Véronika conferences and lectures at various during the sixties, colloquial expression Volkow, Jorge Esquinca, Luis Miguel schools in the United States. gradually displaces lyrical intensity (a Aguilar, Raul Banuelos, Aurelio Asiain. change of tone which is a modification of perspective: poets think they are approach Paz is without a doubt the most admired ing their readers more democratically) And and the most controversial personality of In the city of letters, Efrain Huerta and if gteat events — the institutionalized these years. Poet, essayist, political analyst, Jaime Sabines are considered as emblems of Mexican revolution, the Cuban revolution, author of literary treatises, Paz represents vitalism, and this may explain their hold on '68, the denunciation of Marxism, the dis the splendor of classical workmanship, the readers who normally don't read poetry. enchantment with dogmas, the debunking openness to oriental culture, the register of Notwithstanding their difference in tone of the "sexual mysteries", the demographic the avant-garde and the critical look (Huertas' intimacy is condemnatory, as explosion, the crisis of Utopian thinking — towards modernity, to controversy around opposed to Sabines' simplicity), both poets have no automatic consequences, (one way history. Basically, the creative movement of have in common the refinement, the or the other), in poetry, the essential mean Paz surveys and integrates his juvenile extreme subtlety of the battlegrounds in the ing of the transformations is preserved. Be ideals, his idea of those vital changes poetry city of modernity, the mastery with which that as it may, the new visions are addressed carries within it. He connects to the "tradi they express limit attitudes. Huerta repre to another reader, socially freer and less used tion of the break" (risk, the rejection of sents lyrical obession, militant compromise, to deception: from the frank description of what is established), and he translates his the prophecy of apocalypse in the mega dreams of fornication, to the fluid expres Utopia into literature: "Poetry is knowledge, lopolis, the city as propitiatory rite and sion of female desire, to the natural expres salvation, power, abandon. An activity memorable sarcasm. And Sabines is spon sion of homosexual desire, (without paying capable of changing the world, poetical taneity ardently laboured, disdain towards the high social costs, yet). activity is revolutionary by nature; spiritual "good taste", sentimental confession exercise, it is a metfrod of inner liberation." wrought into poetical provocation. 6 VICE VERSA 53 "To the screwed one the tears'." said I And I started weeping As they start giving birth Sabines' poetry appears liberating with in the purview of a literary environment governed in significant parts by reserve and stylistic exercises. Without fear, he points out emotions as they proceed from family roots; he transforms intimacy into feats of daily prowess, and full of spark, brings together tenderness, blasphemy, family love (which is legitimate ego comfort), the cele bration of whores, resentful praise of soli tude and the amorous feeling as an original well of imagery. In images, and in the manifold mean ings of the work of José Emilio Pacheco, the young ones encounter paradigms and "no exit" roads. And faced with die disappear ance of the avant-garde and of poetic schools, original voices are slow in becom ing established, because reputation is no longer dependent on provocations or on for mal elaboration (while the former vanish, the latter is much more frequent today). And all and nothing are equivalents, as this poem by Ricardo Castillo (born in 1951) demonstrates: p The Buttocks national experience". Between 1947 and fulfill functions reserved for sociology, social The back of the woman is also 1967, important or significant novels are psychology, history. Every significant writer divided in two. published by ]osé Revueltas, Augustin Yânez, makes his (or her) contribution. Yânez, Juan Rulfo, Juan José Arreola, Rosario Revueltas and Rulfo, for example, express But there is no doubt that the but Castellanos, Ricardo Garibay, Carlos Fuentes, the idea of the novel as an illustration of the tocks of a woman Jorge lbagiiengoitia, Elena Poniatowska, Sergio tragic temperament, die prophetic sentence are incomparably better than those GaUndo, Sergio Pôitol, José Emilio Pacheco, passed on diose "natural landscapes" of mis of a man Jorge LoTe? Pâez, Juan Garcia Ponce, fortune, of suffering as die trademark of sur Salvador Elizondo, Vincente Lenero, Juan vival. They are, furthermore, transition they have more life, more gayness, Vincente Meta, Gustavo Sâmz, José Augustin. writers, as, at the time of dieir literary train they are pure imagination; And books such as Earthly Days, By the ing, there was still a belief in national liter they are more important than the Water, Pedro Pâramo, Confabulario, The atures as spaces of singularity, (die influ Fair, Balûn Canân, The House Which Bums ences of other literatures are described, agri sun and God together. by Night, The Death of Artemio Cruz, The culturally, as fertilizers) They are, for this rea they are an item of first neccessity Lightning of August, Till 1 May No Longer See son, very conscious of die artful combina which inflation does not affect You —Jesus Mine, January Justice, Fenced-in tion of dieir stylistic, and in some way, ide a birthday cake, Time, You'll Die Afar, The Lonely Adantic, ological, well-springs: European and NorrJi- The Night, Farabeuf, The Bricklayers, American literature and the literature of die a blessing of nature, Nocturnal Obedience, Gazapo and In Profile Mexican Revolution, Mariano Azuela and the origin of poetry and of scandal. inform readers about trends, styles and pref James Joyce, Martin Luis Guzman and Like the pens of the dudes in the erences. William Faulkner, José Guadalupe and Dostoievsky. Of diis period, the best works editorial office. Urban growth actually rules out com are,( as I see diem), EUena de LLamas and munity life (construed as a creation of Pedro Paramo by Juan Rulfo. shared experience), and only a few domains offer, by way of culture, clues to modem life: Carlos Fuentes wants to capture all II cinema (massive attendance), music (the about Mexico: the mythological heritage, most immediate or die most extensive regis die repertory of cultural tensions. The Most The Novel as Social ter of contemporary sensibility), fine art Transparent Region(1958) and The death of Avant-garde (die perception of the forms and colours Artemio Cru?(1962) are drafts of murals in which inform visual education), and litera die style of the mural painter Diego Rivera, , f /*"X is preceded by the narra- ture: die classical territory. That is why the which encapsulate social classes in the importance of Latin American writers hap £-^^ S^/ tive impulse which is, development of one character or of a group pens to be greater than that of those I J [ ^ among other things, a trib- of characters. They offer vignettes as autobi observed in other regions. The outstanding ^^X ^-S ute to pluralism. Almost as ography: in the slang, the lyricism of die books are considered either widi resounding a group, writers, no longer terrified by the popular tongue and in the urban vocabulary seriousness or with demagoguery, "portraits spoken by the nation. We must mention at accusation of "ingratitude", want to produce of the family and the Nation" and they also this point die well-bred girl and die taxi dri- books which are "independent of the VICE VERSA 53 7 Dockyard, Juntacadâveres, No One Writes to the Colonel, Morel's Invention, Three Sad Tigers, Painted Lips, The Treason of Rita Hayvjorth, but as we integrate them in the panorama of language, we are reminded of what we have already known since Machado de Assis and Ruben Dario: in mat ters of literature there is no underdevelop ment. And the readers are aspiring to par take in the high level of what they admire. "At last, Spanish no longer is a secret language" Until 1968, cultural modernity dwells on the defence of criticism as the element correcting authoritarianism; on the opposi tion — mundane, nonsolemn, informed, ironic — to traditional Mexico, and a nationalism of hopelessness, on the border of patriotic symbols and statements. But if the demolition of tribal survivals is justified, so is the defiance to totemic weights, old and new: the usurpation of the nation by the government and the Institutional Revolutionary Party, the control of free time by the worst television conceivable, the abysses of inequality, the gravity of absolute and functional illiteracy, the absence of a press, not merely one destined to minorities, the lack of — or the bureaucratization — of the cultural infrastructure. ver Artemio Cruz, Citizen Kane of revolu The urban, the measure of all things. In To this one may add the necessity to fill tionary opportunism, and the ubiquitous the novels which followed 1968, Mexico thematic territories (which may well be lin Ixca Cienfuegos who presides since the ori City turns out to be, by itself, an inescapable guistic universes), and to include the repre gin of time. Fuentes' work, of great scenic character, the setting of reactions which are sentation of the marginal, the occult, the violence, defines the ambition of a modern as spontaneous as they are fatal, in the devalued or merely imagined through the literature, powerfully universal, epic in its opposition between development (the the "Ridiculous". The realistic novel (about own manner. In Change of Skin, Our Earth, promise of a liberating future) and back farm hands who revolt and pariahs trapped Old Gringo, Burnt Water and Cristobal wardness (the threat of a never-ending past). in the prison-like universe of their sur Nonato, Fuentes offers his version of nations The effects of the literary boom con roundings) is the reflection of this configu as scenic landscapes, of sexuality as a second tribute to the transformation: a boom ration of the usually invisible, inaudible — fatherland, of fiction as synthesis of Utopias. which, in its fashion, gives an impulse to of the nameless. In the opposite perspective, Jorge Latin American cultural integration, stimu And this representation of "the forbid Ibarguengoitia, in The Lightning of August lated by the initial impact of the Cuban den" does not correspond to the division (1965) and in The Steps of Lopez (1982), Revolution. Aside from how the publicity into social classes, but to more diverse view wants to place the myths of heroism in the surrounding five or six authors ("exclusive points, and this allows within a few years light of the picaresque. Fable of disenchant club") is being perceived, (these authors the transformation of the repertory, thanks ment with "the revolution which made having been declared as the most representa to the appearance of new protagonists: itself into government", parody of the feats tive of the continent), the promotion of the women who no longer are symbols (nor of armed struggle in Mexico (1910-1930) and boom allows the dissemination of the diverse complacent or devouring victims), the of the literature they engendered, mockery Latin American literature, with Spain as a believers in "heterogeneous" forms, the magnified by literary deftness, The Lightning starting point . Until that moment, (and in young fleeced of any future; rebelling of August foreshadows what consumes The a contrary sense to the poets), each Latin natives, the homosexuals, the"outsiders" Steps of Lopez, the satire where the past is American fiction writer connected to his who challenge and unwittingly interiorize being demythified only to be buried more own national tradition in addition to world the racism victimizing them. deeply, while the distrust caused by the seri literature, as it is concentrated in some few al miracles of "magical realism" is growing. countries, (mostly USA, France, Britain, Faced with the great social and cultural In other novels of Ibarguengoitia (The Dead Germany). leap, narrators find they are obliged to adopt Ones) of 1977 and Two Crimes(1979), the formal changes ranging from experiment to dry tone and and unadorned description are In an almost deliberate way, this writer the reuse of traditional methods. The dis the valued means for fables of evil as the wasn't aware of what was produced in the tance with respect to the theme is rela supreme stupidity. rest of Latin America. But the boom, despite tivized, an idea which is summarized by the its public profile, amply fuels the growth of phrase "text production". If the "realistic the readership. One does not simply invent novel had presented events in the intention "And just the relatives of such virtues as those of One Hundred Years of that they appear natural" (Jean Franco), Pedro Pâramo stayed back in the Solitude, Pedro Pâramo, The Field of Flames, contemporary narrative declares monoga mous fidelity to tradition abolished.yet ex countryside" Rayuela, The City and the Dogs, Conversation in the Cathedral, Aleph, Ficciones, The presses loyalty to feelings of "uprootedness" 8 VICE VERSA 53 (cosmopolitanism) and "guilt"(social real Wolfe (Rex Stout) or Perry Mason (Earl In both novels, the atmospheres transcend ism). The position of "middleman to reali Stanley Gardner). It is difficult trying to the limits of the plot. ty" is declared anachronistic- imitate the refined plots, the bizarre solu The discredit of socialist realism tions to the mystery of the drawing room, undoubtedly did take place, and many writ "Rock: Notorious sympathy the jokes and the homage to strict logic. By ers, when faced with the necessity of "com for the devil" and large, two novels stand out: Rehearsal of mitted art", opted for working the methods a Crime(1944) by Rodolfo Usigli, and The of militant literature into the detective In contrast to the previous generation, Mongol Plot(l969) by Rafael Bemal. With or novel. The trail had been blazed by Dashiell trained in literature and in cinema, in all of without design, based on a kind of homo Dammett (communist) and by Raymond Latin America, new authors want to give phobic theology, Usigli creates a thriller, Chandler (anticommunist): in a corrupt their poetry, or their narratives, the rhap having surprising similarities with the world society nothing is what it seems to be; the sodic qualities of prose with poetic inten of Patricia Highsmith's novels- "He wasn't a police is both accomplice and the author of tions, along the lines of Bob Dylan, the man like any other — reflects Roberto de la the crime, respectable lawyers are involved Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, U-2, Cruz, the anti-hero of Rehearsal of a Crime, in drug trafficking, judges are beings ren Sting, Patti Smith, Neil Young, Sid Vicious — he had a destiny, he would be a great dered feeble by the good life, corpses found and Kurt Kobain. In these works, there criminal or a great saint." In The Mongol in back lanes are the identifying marks of takes hold the tone of literary nightmare Plot, Bernal imagines the antihero alone capitalism, while the spirit of justice is which slumber transforms into dreams. In and intimidated, a Vietnam ex-mercenary embodied by inflexible and solitary men, this culture, each idol is a generational carrying on for the satifaction of vengeance. who won't say no to either whiskey or rough superego and automatically a lifestyle. And language. Thus abounds in Mexico a litera the characters of tales and novels crave to ture (quite abominable by and large) which embody the qualities attributed to the repeats some familiar patterns: including a demigods of rock music, and they live for trail of private sleuths and murdered busi the incisive phrase, for flight from reality, nessmen, and whose plot is overstocked sex experienced as hallucination, induced with California-style action and events. hallucination perfected by orgasm or its Despite all this, the vitality of the genre is equivalent, the challenge of drugs, the undeniable. incomprehension of the boring world of the adults. Epilogue as Some of these books (and their sources, The Catcher in the R>e by Salinger, for exam a form of prologue ple) are read as manuals of conduct. To be t a time when the interest in more specific, José Agustin in The Grave poetry is diminishing, the inter (1964), In Profile (1966), It's Getting Late, est in national literature also End in the Lagoon (1973), Inventing that I drops, to the extent that book dream (1969) bettet than any other, creates Asales may be representing an indicatot. And characters who assault the sky of tradition that, to a large extent, is related to the sub alism with attitudes both imitative and orig jection of the national market to North inal, both Americanized and nationalist. American best-sellers and to the Spanish Particularly, In Profile is notable for captur publishing industry; but it is also a result of ing the new urban rhythm, and for the the slight influence of literary critics and of recreation of the emerging picaresque. This the large role of word-of-mouth publicity. can't be otherwise, if rock culture is to (the boom of oral culture in an era of glob demolish or to avoid prohibitions and alization). This leads to a landscape of grow moralistic injunctions, and if the picaresque ing supply and diminishing demand, to lack is to be a method of knowledge. Meanwhile of motivation and to writer anxiety. the picaresque hero (the anti-hero of cor Nevertheless, never has narrative expres rupt society, the fun-lover amidst the inertia sion been so free and varied and, (with of the middle classes), lends to his farce the intensity), new generations of novelists and dimensions of a pillage. La Onda (the coun story tellers publish novels of love and of terculture) is also — and to beneficial effect arcaneness, thrillers and guerilla tales, fantas — an epic of marginals. tic stories and naturalist obsessions, satires and reconstitutions of the legendary atmos pheres of Mexico. Among those who are "And how could he commit suicide attracting readers today, it is suitable to with 32 bullets?" mention Juan Villoro (The Aragon Shootout), Enrique Sema, Rosa Beltrân, Alvaro Enrigue, Alan-Paul Mallard, Tomâs Another previously disparaged genre Granados, Ignacio Padilla, Daniel Tos- turns up. Before the seventies, it was impos cana... The list is unfair, as it leaves out sible for Latin America to respond massive quite a few writers in full productive ly to the appeal of the police mystery novel, activity. In spite of everything, Mexican lit considered typical of the Anglo-Saxon erature, while suffering from a shortage of world. "Who can believe in the efficiency market incentives, does enjoy the stimuli of and in the will to justice of our police talent and sensibility. • forces?" is the constant question. Latin America is not fated to be the scene for detectives à la Hercule Poirot (Agatha Christie), Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy L. Photo : Mauro Peressini Sayers), Philo Vance(S.S. VanDine), Nero VICE VERSA 53 9 and not to few time to die ident i f y years things as com ago we de- monplace. He did .cided to enter n't want to define him Ainto matrimon: y with the self. He wanted to remain conjugal comfortably anonymous, free. happy assurance of those wh embark on their own perdition. It's And being free meant being form not that we don't like intimacy; on the less. contrary, we're indebted to it for a series of Sometimes he would go to the public unexpectedly cushy jobs because, well, he love baths with the illusion of finding them and I weren't considered respectable peo almost empty; he would avoid all those ple — that is, anyone you could really trust to feel, looks that made him feel that he had to in. As for the rest, 1 don't think it was for the re- justify something. It was enough for him to unwarranted, because there's nothing lative ease tell me that he was going with T. for me to respectable about impulsively going into with which we understand. It wasn't T., or anyone else in urinals, for example, and writing tilings on can busy ourselves particular. But it's always better to give a the walls. Or rather, writing to someone, fulfilling our desires without suffering any name to things. Beautiful amorphous bod whomever you prefer. Not that I know major recriminations. Now we're not con ies; bodies without eyes. Sometimes it was what he writes — that doesn't interest me. sidered ostentatious; we're happily married. enough for him just to brush against a He and I decided it would be like that: But there's still a stigma: he keeps on warm leg without touching it, or to give a each of us would have a separate life. My flaunting his former freedom as if he still sole, momentary look into other eyes so he part has turned out to be forever looking at had it today. Even so, though, bit by bit could reject those masculine natures — die same facade while I wait for him. Does we've given in to the fatal conventions free of the roundnesses that might warp the this make any sense? I'm afraid that just that at first seemed funny to us, immersed perfect erection from its heights — while like with the other one, these desires will as they were in that mysterious glow that he, almost prone, looked them over from also end up getting corrupted by urgent surrounds everything new. Sometimes I top to bottom without emotion. His enthu questions or obligations, by the need to think that we still have a lot to share: night siasm for making accomplices out of people live up to die image that we've imposed on and memory, and maybe indifference, too. who didn't know him and would complete ourselves. Before, we had to suffer in Or who knows: probably not even that. ly forget him a few minutes later drove him silence through the rejection that the oth to carry these furtive contacts a bit beyond ers were so determined to point out to us He used to like to go places where no the ambiguous stage — and then to leave — our indignity was only due to our being one knew him. He never put down roots; almost immediately in order to breathe in unmarried — and now, on the other hand, his days were made up of tiny fragments air crowded with other breaths or to have we can thank our marital status, or the that were impossible to fit together and coffee somewhere, to leaf through a maga contempt for everything that it's caused us lacked any kind of meaning. He was never zine or enter a music store and leisurely able to draw any clear conclusions from select a compact disk that he had no inten whole strings of recurring acts for the sim tion of buying. Later on he would come by ple reason that there weren't any conclu for me. At seven o'clock. Then my body ROSA BELTRÀN sions to be drawn: whenever he could, he would open a window and stealthily, little would conscientiously avoid nourishing by little, pleasure would creep in. any idea or continuing any conversation Rosa Beltrân was bom in Mexico that was beginning to go beyond the triv Intermittently, but very slowly, we City in I960. Her first book of ial. Nor would he ever stay in the same were becoming accustomed to other habits. place for very long. He was terrified of short stories, LA ESPERA, For my part, I adopted faltering particles of being recognized by someone, of being a language that had been unknown to me appeared in J 986. The novel, LA sought out, invited. His terror grew out of till then, and I began to talk more fre the need not to be identified as ordinary CORTE DE LOS ILUSOS, received quently about the kitchen, the weather, or the Planeta-Joaquin Mortiz Award the latest news — in short, about all those in 1993. She has also pursued an clichés with which I shared the happiness of an uncomplicated life. I began to enjoy academic career in comparative lit the pleasure of recognizing myself every erature obtaining a Ph.D. from the day, identical and faithful to the person I University of California in 1990. had been the day before. He, on the other hand, remained immaculate. Being faithful A revised version of her thesis will to himself meant repeating himself. But in be published shortly by the Press of both cases our true world continued to be hidden, and that superiority isolated us in a Universidad National Autônoma surprising way from the game that included de Mexico where she is us and made us identifiable. In the presently teaching. evening, we would leave his parents in the company of dieir grandchildren — whom TIME TO DIE is part of the book they rarely really enjoyed — and would AMORES QUE MATAN which step out to encounter a warm city filled has been just published by with hope. We would surrender ourselves to the morning of a night that opened to Joaquin Mortiz. Photo : Manuel Zavala 10 VICE VERSA 53 receive our faded bodies, which longed to for me. Oddly enough, I was happy. My vis No one can be blamed for hating and observe everything, to drink in all the hid its to the interior of my desires became ever loving at the same time, so how could any den corners. For him, it would have been less frequent, and the absence of caresses one know what reproaches he and 1 would an insult to mention how ridiculous he was becoming a custom. We had learned to come up with when we looked at each looked in the anachronistic and deliberate express our affection through the tradition other? A tepid smile: it was hard for him to ly out-of-date clothes he wore. He loved and family life that our relatives had direct convince me that anything would change, hats. It's strange that 1 should speak of his ed us to with skilful protectionism, though and I didn't really want it to. I liked seeing tastes like this, because at the time I found 1 do not remember whether he was ever him sitting in front of the television, indo them enchanting. I used to like it when he more than occasionally present at these lently wasting his time; 1 liked the fact that sweated, for instance. Now I detest it. But discussions. 1 would speak through his everything was always so much the same. at that time, a pleasant boredom made us mouth, and that was enough. 1 deliberately "A decorous and timely death is all that enjoy everything we considered sensual. disregarded his tastes and opinions in order can honestly be desired," I used to think. Sometimes we would go into a bar sepa to reinvent him, and he zealously attended The children are sleeping. I can almost rately and 1 would move away from him in to learning his latest role by heart. He tried hear the quiet rhythm of their lungs, and order to watch hirn from a distance. When to appropriate all the new phrases that he is finishing un he would invite me over, a few minutes referred to him but that he didn't quite dressing: 'This rub later, to share what in this way might turn understand, accepting them deferentially. ber doll is ready out to be more interesting, both of us had Only rarely did some distraction permit a for bed." But to admit that the secret complicity that bit of silence to creep in, and at those first, just for united us also worked against us. Later we moments an unknown, overwhelming would head back silently to our marital anxiety would wriggle across our bed, and the whole experience would be skins. We began to go out enough to put a certain distance between less frequently and to us. 1 would begin to undress with my back to him, and he, without noticing, would turn away from me on the bed and fall asleep in seconds. Some time passed before the tiredness that would so suddenly over come him became more of a real motive for lack of communication than a truce: our natures are so meticulously constructed that memory, forever lying in wait for its prey, frees us with a certain efficiency from the problem of unfaithfulness. The fear that lies hidden among the valves of the night was at that time nothing more than comfort and rest. 1 do not remember when 1 began to enjoy the sadness that my adaptation I caused me. He would probably have want ed me to look for a lover, to have made a Si new life far from commonplace banalities, a life like the one we had shared before. He looked at me with his old curiosity without understanding that he was thus betraying my possible adultery, while I smiled at him, overcome with a strange generosity. I look for simpler diversions: the began to spend time with my sister-in-law, nearest movie theatre or a corner Alicia, and my mother-in-law. Meanwhile, restaurant. He would still, howev tenacious as fleas, the children swirled er, carefully scout out the most propi around us, yelling, playing, and shouting: tious moment to exhibit his dissidence. Juan Pindero killed his wife Small things satisfied him: a timorous with a pin and seven knives; grafitti, a slight provocation — or a luke everyone thought it was a sheep warm attentiveness when he would hold a few moments, there is a pale and hopeless but it was the wife of Juan Pindero. forth too ostentatiously about his pretend larva to attend to: his sex. I take it cau We talked of housework, of the kids' ed exploits, the last of which was to ask me tiously between my hands and kiss it. I assignments, of the cycles of things. The to marry him. would also like to mash it, torture it, and rituals of daily life made us feel secure, Were we suggesting that we imitate bite it. Nevertheless, I kiss it softly as I wait close to the earth; the purification of tire our fathers, or was some kind of design for my next chance to shine: in cooking, less dialogues isolated us from fear. Small pushing us to act like them? If we had cleaning, or a birthday party. • incidents, such as some insignificant wanted, we could have precisely registered mishap that would befall Maria, Alberto, what caused that feeling of complicity to — From AMORES QUE MATAN, a col or Ramon, would interrupt our conversa seep into us when we agreed on the same lection of short stories published in Mexico tions for a few moments, and as I arose, I reflection: breakfast at eight/the children at City m November, 1996, by Editorial Joaquin would indulge myself in the modest con school/ work/a short chat over coffee/ the Mortiz as part of the "Colecciôn Narradores viction that I was a failure, and was silent kids on the way back from work/ the Contemporâneos. " ly rewarded with the pleasurable thought of park/work/ supper and sleep. We regarded — Translated by Hugh Hazelton the humble satisfactions that life still held our past with distrust. VICE VERSA 53 11 ARCANO VI LOS AMANTES VERONICA VOLKOW ARCANO VI ARCANO XVIII ARCANO XIX LOS AMANTES LA LUNA EL SOL Tus ojos son noches La luna no se disuelve en la noche Unidad en el bianco que quieran en que vive un dîa, como las otras piedras, los colores, tus ojos son piedras tras de la luz olvida a la luz se le saldrîa el mundo, que suenan un corazôn desierto. pero en su acorde es transparencia, y en el suefto un mundo Empefiado en su sol joya invisible que encerrô el tesoro, que no esta. su solo pensamiento silencio ni se amortigua en piedra, que escuchô toda la mûsica y piensa. Todo el cuerpo en la caricia cabe. ni disipa la noche con su intente Piel: garganta effmera Su dfa vive encerrado en un espejo Como cosas se encienden las imâgenes, y ptesa imprecisa, y so voluntad en un suefto. no hay hogueras en los brillos. solo aroma el cuerpo que deseamos En luz y respiraciôn, Agujero en la oscuridad, la luna, recaudan mundo los espejos, respiraciôn âvida en la entrafia. como el suefto, quizé con luz se piensa. con su espejo sin tierra, En la piel la inmensidad es lo que canta sin aire, sin agua y sin fuego. Trae sol la luz tenue voz muy honda, Deshabitados siempre, como un origen en el roce estrépito, la realidad no acaba con los sueftos que aclara, suavidad ya grito. y es un pozo la ausencia una memoria Embriaguez que es mùsica y abismo. del espejo. que ilumina, que es pureza. Al amor lo escribe el infinito. ;Qué no esta y en inagotable espejo nos habita? ARCANO XX ARCANO 0 EL JUICIO EL LOCO A Zina Amarré la noche en su alforja, Hay quienes murieron de silencio a ese Proteo imprevisto, la penumbra, y a quienes mataron pot haber hablado. las promesas de lo ignoto y las cosas Voces hay que lo negro atesora: que dan vida el olvido perdido y voces que matan, y el inasible sueno, palabras de nadie para nadie, en el olvido un tiempo sin historia juicios sostenidos sin justicia. y en el sueno sin tiempo, una histotia extraviada No solo con aire respiramos, y los frutos prohibidos Photo .- Manuel Zavaia también con palabras que resguarda la sombra. Hay nombres que nacen de la vida, son aliento, Veronica Volkov naciô en la Ciudad Lo imposible es inolvidable, nos habitan con un aima, mitad vivimos cara hacia la noche y son un alumbramiento. de Mexico en 1955. Ha publicado y en el borde del pârpado inventamos. Nacemos a un mundo donde estar varios libros de poesia: LA SlBILA DE Anhelo loco por despertar en un suefto con la piel entera CUMAS (1974); LITORAL DE porque son otros los jardines de la noche, otros los puertos y los horizontes. y tocando con las manos. TINTA (1979); EL INICIO (1983); Aspiramos al mundo en la voz, Caminar caminar a luz nos damos. LOS CAMINOS (1989). Acaba de hacia lo que aûn no existe, aparacer Arcanos publicado par el por lo intempestivo del rayo Pero, hay palabras donde nunca estamos, Consejo National de la Cultura y las o la vaguedad del naufragio. no las vivio nadie artes. Su ultimo libro publicado es un En la noche fundar el did, y no podn'amos respirarlas. en el dfa abrir la noche. Hay mudez que es como muette ensajo sobre la obra grâfica de y también, Francisco Toledo: LA MORDERURA muertos que hablan. DE LA R1SA (Edit.Aldus, 1995) 12 VICE VERSA 53 s e r a p h i n (Fragments) ERNESTO LUMBRERAS Le ciel (*) Le nom de Robert Frost me suggère un chemin avec des arbres. J'ai dis chemin, Se dormer conjointement mais non pour le voyage ou pour les adieux. Sinon, seulement, un sentier pour un aller- le souffle et la vision, mais retour avec les yeux ouverts. Oui à l'observa- non comme simple possibilité sinon tion, mais aussi la communion: le chemin dans un acte, comme oratoire. c'est déjà un haut, un ciel pur. La lecture de Frost m'induit d'un Maria Zambrano sentiment de temporalité. Son temps est Et perception, fait seulement de présent, con j'entendis une exclamation ou jure toute descendance ou généalogie. une escarmouche d'écureuils: ciel de San Il n'est pas un poète moderne. Il Le ciel est un saule déchaîné. Entre ses Francisco tu es chez Robert Frost peut paraître, par moment, un paysagiste branches le soleil est un loriot. colline verte, colline verte(*) ou un auteur bucolique. Je l'admire sans et adjectifs. Lire ses poèmes assume dans mon L'antériorité provoquera des plaisan C'est aussi une colline verte. expérience le désir d'avoir la mémoire, teries chez les vagabonds. Cela ne me Comment ne pas être d'accord. Dans dans une vertigineuse dispersion, des sou dérange pas. Le ciel est un saule déchaîné. l'herbe l'horizon brûle. Moi, en revanche, venirs appelés : désert de minuit, porte dans Il contient dans ses branches, en plus du je cours jusqu'à son sommet espérant ren l'obscurité, amour pour un mur, poussière loriot, un éclair en repos. Autre chose c'est contrer une hache de pierre ou un crâne de de neige (sur l'aile d'un corbeau), enfant sa réunion de violoncelles. Graves comme bœuf. qui balance les arbres. pierre de ruisseau. Froids comme une Vous n'aurez pas de problèmes à être vérité. d'accord avec moi. Un éclat de colombier Riez vagues de coin. Cela m'importe dans l'herbe peut nous donner raison. peu. Cherchant mon âme entre les clés de St-Pierre je me suis trouvé un jet d'eau. Maintenant sans retard de plume je peux le dire. Le ciel est un saule déchaîné. Tout son feuillage est une oraison. Ernesto Lumbreras est né en 1966. Il a publié deux recueils de poèmes, CLAMOR DE AGUA en 1990 et ESPUELA PARA DEMORAR EL VIAJE en 1993. En J 992 il a reçu le prix de Poésie Aguascalientes. Les poèmes que nous publions ici, dont certains sont inédits, appartiennent au livre LARVA DE SERAFÎN en cours d'écriture. Photo : Manuel Zavala VICE VERSA 53 13 3 i Réunion de violoncelles Copuler et pleuvoir me rappellent la nuit blanche d'un saule- Ce ne fut pas toujours ainsi. Je pos Saule déchaîné sédais avant un désir de pierres fossiles quand l'éjaculation(yeux de Son feuillage : la piété de celui qui dort un fourmis) annonçait pour cœur parmi les abeilles. moi une flamme d'alcool. Maintenant le cul d'Élena Son tronc: la lecture des ténèbres d'une (une allusion plus festive couvée/ le printemps dans une brise de du ciel) me trouble avec givre. son soufflet : spiral de rouge-gorge/robinet Sa racine: une larve de séraphin dans le sans vocation. Maintenant sang/ le multiple d'une heure de juin/ le je la pénètre réveillée soleil des oraisons que personne n'entend. avec ennui. Ce ne fut pas toujours ainsi. Copuler et pleuvoir, dans un temps éloigné, les souvenirs n'illuminent la nuit Fainéants dans blanche d'aucun saule. Un cheval boit la lumière un coin blanc aux pieds du ciel. Etanche sa soif avec prudence de crapaud entre les nénuphars. Dans un coin blanc on entend ces voix : Dans ses yeux, un automne trame un moulin d'eau. A tous goûte le feu ruisseau je demanderai de ne pas l'apeurer avec les montures et les plus nuit éperons. Un cheval qui boit des nuages réclame notre regard. robinet sans merci cœur pur Un groupe de castors dans sa fontaine étourdit mon pute amoureuse vinaigre cœur. J'ai pensé aux L'un d'eux observe le ciel. Il enfonce sa con lèvres du diable quand sur un science. Il lui sature de syllabes : averse sur champ jaune, le ciel laisse une forêt/ brise sur un étang. couler une légère brise. Peut-être désire-t-il une tour de limaçons Mon émotion, une essence pour calmer la nuit. Hasard renié d'un de sel dans la nuit, contient Traduction faite pubis humide, sans ses mains, font prendre ses travaux d'arrosage. Quoi par Carbs Séguin, 1996 feu à un mouton endormi. boire comme semence de copula tion, fidèle aux constela- Québécois d'origine espagnole, Carlos Séguin est tions d'un saule ? Il devrait y né à Montréal en 1974. Étudiant à la maîtrise avoir une aurore de fruits (philosophie) à l'Université' de Montreal, il s'in pour le savoir. téresse depuis toujours à la littérature espagnole et sud-américaine, spécialement celle d'Antonio Gala, de Federico Garcia Lorca et de Pablo Neruda. 14 VICE VERSA 53 DANIEL SADA growdi until we finally got a Daniel Sada was bom in president; at the same time "Where the Rails Meet" declared Mexicali in 1953. He is itself once and for all a munici the author of several books pality and was designated an of poems, short stories and administrative centre by some body higher up. As for its official novels. Among the most name, it now became the one we recent books, we mention know. the novels UNA DE DOS, The mayor's office was pro visionally located in one of the 1994 and ALBEDRÎO, train cars, which was a good idea 1990; as well as collected and an economical one, too, and short stories such as: ensured that the new govern ment palace could be built with REGISTRO DE CAU the requisite calm some distance SANTES, 1992 and TRES away. The mayor, among other HISTORIAS, 1988. His things, was a gentleman with grey hair like a pennant, a great works have been translated guy, a real buddy who liked hav into English, German, ing a drink and giving minor Dutch and French and orders that were immediately finally had a pastime: seeing who carried out by his men with rifles have been presented in could collect the most cartridge and municipal chinstraps, who various anthologies in cases. There was a dead man a served as a police force. But apart from them, for strategic and Mexico and abroad. The day, not counting the shoot-outs in which no one was killed. But civilian affairs, he had at his dis text we present here after a while all the terrifying position a combination advisor- belongs to the book, slaughter tapered off a bit and inspector who knew all the new legislation by heart and was also REGISTRO DE CAU peace returned. Enthusiasm reigned. Deep-rooted convic versant in the precepts of SANTES, which won the tions about beliefs began to get Machiavelli. For lesser issues, he had a foppish clerk, a loud Xavier Villaurrutia distorted once reality reasserted itself again. mouthed guy in a striped suit and National Literary Award. bowler hat — despite the heat The public got an enormous — with a little moustache and orreôn, or "The Place idea of progress fixed in their fancy manners, who was fast on Where the Rails Meet," as heads — that is, of doing things the typewriter and in whipping it used to be called, was just like the gringos, because people himself up almost to tears as he a train station a century were needed to make it work. delivered rousing harangues Tago. Of course, there are indus Maybe it was for that reason that about the nation to throngs of tries and shops there now: the youth used to get married so listeners. progress? relaxation? Television young and then have armies of in English. Piped-in water, said kids of their own: to help One day, by the way, the to be pure. A lot of shameless Torreôn grow up beyond a settle boss got the idea of taking films and more women than you ment as soon as possible. At first, another rail car, putting it next can count: they're the flowers of those families used to live all to the green one that served as the desert, though not much has scrunched together in boxcars the mayor's office, and setting up changed about them — except on unused tracks, fifty or so to a a magnificent casino. Keep in that now they wear pants! Con car, since they were considered mind that the agricultural sector men and crazies have also prolif outsiders and pirates that didn't was beginning to bear fruit about erated. There's plenty of crime, live like people from town, but this time and that the desert as well as drunkenness, and you preferred to settle in wretched town needed what you might hear cumbias, polkas, and ballads shacks or in adobe huts with call some amusement for the coming out of everywhere. roofs made of reed mats. They men who scratched away at the led lives of jubilation and faith soil every day from sunrise to Of course there's a lot more and were especially good runners sunset. It would be a great way poverty too, but so what? when trains pulled in. That was for them to refresh themselves. That's the way life is now, when they'd sell chile-filled Aside from which, understand, it according to the rich. In the old tacos, snacks, equally thick tor would be a means of avoiding days, on the other hand, people tillas, torrents of ice-cream and the violence that occurred out lived differently — though not iced drinks: a great blessed spot doors — not all of it, maybe, but quietly, that's for sure, because a for wolfing things down, with a lot — as well, of course, as the while later the Revolution rolled the trash left along the tracks under-the-table sale of moon through the place and a lot of when the trains moved on for shine and other things that were local people got involved in the Juarez or Mexico City, as the even worse. For its part, the local fray. But even that, with all its case might be. authority would be able to con whining bullets and point-blank trol the betting and any possible shootings, turned out in the end Then came a period of chaos lawlessness. Hey, that was the to be entertaining. The kids that coincided with all that VICE VERSA 53 15 pretext, anyway, because when you get hard that they ended up flinging chairs at night on, as soon as the door was closed, right down to it, the whole thing was just a each other. Then, despite all the injuries they would begin to kick and hammer with big business deal. and the string of reproaches that was their fists against the metal walls, crying As a peremptory rule, there was to be unleashed in the city, there still wasn't one out in despair. Maybe they'd be able to get a cover charge and — why not? — a ten- prisoner to inaugurate the incarceration a bit of sympathy from the guards outside, per-cent take of the total bets. Some old facility, which made it imperative that who would then help them escape: "Go on boxcar was to be fixed up both inside and someone be put inside, in order for people now, get outta here!" Aside from that, all out, giving it a colourful façade and putting to take it seriously, but who? The inspec that was left was a vicious circle of sickness in three metal tables so that the chips tor-advisor recommended that the boss and asphixiation. would sound like hailstones in a thunder throw in a few new arrivals from out of They talked about it: there was no way storm when they were moved about — a town for whatever trumped-up reason he out. To top it off, they had to answer all noise that was infamous for attracting liked just so the jail could truly represent their most intimate calls of nature right clients. the ultimate in correctional centres. there, although this wasn't quite the case, There would also be dominoes. He'd scarcely finished speaking before because those calls depended on the scraps With the same intention, the boss the police set out for the most isolated, of food they would get — but from whom? ordered that black and white photos be put dilapidated shacks on die outskirts of town They could only just barely hear any up of women lifting their dresses and show to hunt up a few newcomers who above all sounds from outside: a noise of a continu ing their tamale-shaped legs. And there had to have the faces of wrongdoers and ous drizzling rain came from the casino had to be a name for the place: "Casino on who could be accused of being squatters. It next door, and they could hear far-off shots the Lagoon" or "The Whole Town was easy to capture a few. They hauled and muffled quarrels. On the other hand, Casino," aldiough when you thought about back the most impoverished ones they whatever they themselves said sounded it, the main problem was that in reality the could find. muted and feeble. boss wanted to get into contact with the That night, five innocent peasants A stitch, a tiny beam of light shone future bourgeoisie so they could become a slept in the train-car jail. through the wall at dawn of the first day. circle of investors, a closed and ultimately A dark, wretched place. The heavy door of the railroad car exclusive group. With diat in mind, he Without ventilation. immediately slid open just wide enough for ordered that a brown rug and a turquoise- With a terrible stench in the air, one a fat hand to throw in three small bread blue carpet be put in. He would have liked of heat and suffocation. rolls, and then, with no further comment, to have had Czechoslovakian mirrors and The prisoners were also uncertain as to to close the door on them again with sud English playing cards, but it would have how much time they were going to be den ferocity. That, of course, was their made it too obvious diat he still didn't locked up without food and a place to breakfast. The shadow was there, but have a decent place to put all these dreams. relieve themselves. They talked together where was the sustenance? They scurried Ah, a casino like the ones in Paris: maybe indignantly in the bitter darkness; not a over like hungry animals and fought and some day! For the moment he made up an single laugh mitigated what had happened. kicked each other to tear off a few pieces. official announcement, and, yes, with oil The boss's display of power helped him cre The unfortunate sufferers experienced the lamps that would be lit when the sun went ate a resolute image in everyone's eyes of a perversity of survival, hating each other down, of course diere would be clients. man capable of terrible zeal. From now on over a crust of bread without even knowing The most powerful men around, he hoped. people were sure to be forewarned of what who the others really were. At noon the fat he could do. hand opened the door again and left them The gamblers used to start coming three oranges and a jar of water. At supper- round at about eight o'clock in the All the same, it wasn't long before the time they were thrown a half-kilo of nuts as evening, carrying pistols in dieir belts, just prisoners' relatives were down on their a joke. Over the following days and nights in case. They didn't need to: everything's knees wailing and begging the big guy to there was progressively less and less food, all right, come right on in. But someone let the jailed men go die next day, to which and the prisoners used their last remaining got killed almost immediately because of a he replied, widi a show of grand gestures strength to pound against the rusted metal — trap? What did happen is diat the com and angry faces, diat diey'd better start walls of the boxcar and beg for water. munity decided it had had enough: there back heading home if they didn't want to Oddly enough, no one else — no other vic was a great flap and protest about the get a beating instead of perhaps being shot tims — were put in with them. recent break down in law and order, and, in — or at any rate, ending up hurt. He added general, many people begged that the casi that he didn't have to inform them of any Just an unexpected half a bread roll or no be closed. The big shot said no, just to thing, that the only explanation he would three nuts or a tomato. be stubborn. He had the idea of putting the give was based on a very old law that had Apart from the smells of shit and municipal jail into another rail car next to to do with illegal settlement on private sweat, there was each one's struggle with the casino car, which he did, although — lands, but that the legal codes in which it his own mental anguish as he resigned careful, now! — he couldn't throw the was written were not presently at hand, himself to his future putrefaction. Their most ardent players (that is, the rich ones) and he wasn't about to go looking for them. growing anemia gave rise to morbid plea into it; to do so would be to risk his posi The sentence, therefore, whether of a sures, vile and decrepit longings, as they tion, and business was going from bad to month or a minimum of two nights, would contemplated their filthy deaths — as if worse. What he did was arm his six men depend on the behaviour of both the pris dying could ever be anything else. and give them police hats and then leave it oners and their families. The sorrowful up to his pencil-pushing secretary to give a questions of the relatives were basically Every instant was another step on the speech to justify the importance of betting cries denouncing the punishment as they pathway to nothingness, the well that blots and having a good time. argued, quite rightly, that in any case there out all possible merit and is thus so friend were lots of other illegal settlers. ly and discrete, an illusory future and a pre There was the customary agreement as sent that was gradually suffocating and to spies. A requirement was immediately Their insistence didn't last long: just going blind. The openings and closings of established for entrance to the casino: de- three or four days. As for the prisoners, the door no longer troubled them; by this pistolization — a rule, in the end, that they endured it all with courage: slowly time they attributed their misfortune to never worked, because one night during starving, in agony, and all agreeing with divine will. Never again would they see the gaming the rich guys started fighting so each odier at this point. From the first their families or walk through Torreôn. 16 VICE VERSA 53 The legendary feat of staying alive was now It was due to these questions of gangs, rying the casino and the mayor's office hanging by a thread; their growing short truces, and vengeance that an unexpected were directly behind them — and joy was ness of breath was endured with a mini event then took place on the outskirts of born from their darkness. The casino! That mum of pride. They would take leave of town: unidentified men made off with the futile luxury was now being carried off! the world like this, forgiving misfortune boxcar-jail during the night. This might be The mayor's office! With all its papers itself — which was a woman and an evil attributed to a group of new arrivals from blowing around! one at that. somewhere else who perhaps had quickly What happened was that while the Yes, the door would finally open once carried out the manoeuvre of firmly cou train moved onward, the sufferers' spirits again, and someone would put in a peeled pling the car to a wood-burning locomo began to pick up as they staggered toward grapefruit or an unpeeled prickly pear that tive that was just getting ready to pull out. the door and tried to stand up. The crazy the prisoners were too weak to even reach, One tug was enough for the row of boxcars guys who had linked together the row of viewing such things now as treasures that to begin to move off without further inci cars may or may not have known there had lost all value. Ah, delayed agonies and dent. There was a tremendous racket as the were people inside; maybe they did, but the confused memories filed through the hours car's worn wheels screeched and swayed fact is that a long time later the train rolled as incidents of their daily routines flickered beneath the mobile jailhouse. in and stopped at Picardfas station and the through their minds, reduced to details the door slid all the way open, flooding the such as an embrace, a wave of the hand, a sépulcral space with light and joy. small courtesy — anything that signified It was all a mystery for the prison warmth, the goodness of warmth. ers, who looked out of the boxcar with Nevertheless, their captors kept leav out believing what was happening. ing them food which they, overcome with No one was guarding the rails. In affliction, no longer wanted as they had fact, once the feat — which had before. Treacherous cravings now began been carried out by who-knows- to stitch up their guts, which by now had whom — had been confirmed: shrivelled up close to their spines. It was Run for it! The feeble prisoners better to think about life, of those last jumped out of the car and moments when everything indistinct managed to scramble across and blurred becomes a beautiful relax the scrubland, hanging onto ation. They remembered their families, the bushes and rocks, without whom they knew full well would now worrying about the possiblity fall into the most implacable and of getting killed and ready for macabre destitution, and thus they said anything that could happen good-bye to their beloved desert, to next. But nobody shot at them, their children, their mothers. Good and nobody was hit, either; bye, Torreon, which — it was true — everything went all right, had now become a real town, with despite their exhaustion. Then, dusty streets. In the casino there were losing themselves among the disputes, loud arguments over games, cacti, each of them took off in a and, if money were involved, there was different direction for home, at always a twist that led to an outburst least to see how far he would of violence and ended up in gunfire. get. Oof! Now they wouldn't let The fact that opposing groups were themselves die; they'd survive to involved gave rise to crime and then enjoy life with their families. So to lots of people who died for the eter if one of those prisoners now liv nal glory of rancher honour. And ing comfortably at home reads nobody was ever put in jail for it. these lines, may he now know Around their fifth day in prison, a few once and for all what is so fer shots even came right through the vently wished him: that from metal sides of the boxcar, which in now on things go the way he fact was quite beneficial: every bullet- wants! hole, no matter how small, was a salu tary filter that let in fresh air and — from the collection of improved their lot. And if they could 3; short stories Regisrro de cau- just drag themselves over and manage < santés, published by * (*, 1992). to eat it, there was still that food Winner of the Villarrutia Award there by the door. for literature. • At the end of a week one of them died The prisoners, who had thought they — translated by Hugh Hazelton of hunger; he couldn't survive going with were destined to die within a few hours, Hugh Hazelton is a Montreal writer and out food for so long, and the others were were overcome with an anxious happiness. translator who grew up in Chicago but has lived m worried about where to put him. Moreover, Somebody had not only stolen their box Canada since 1969. He has travelled extensively their strength too was fading, and their car, they had also taken along all the oth by busfootandtrain m the Americas, Australia, unaccustomed weakness insured that any ers! OK, but so what? Their agony was India, and Africa. He has written three collections effort to move him would be unsuccessful. turning into a judgement of their persecu of poetry — Sunwards, Crossing the Chaco (a Any desire to help would have to be put off tors, because it worked in at least two ways. poetic journal of two years' travel in South till later, because the truth was that they That is, they could at random intervals America), and Ojo de papel — and has also were all about as dead as he was — just as hear deep voices speaking with a tinge of anthologized and translated the work of various Latin American writers, especially those living in foul-smelling, bitter, and incapacitated. vehemency, and given what had happened, Canada. this led them to surmise that the cars car VICE VERSA 53 17 LE TRÉPASSÉ ENRIQUE SERNA POUR ANDRES RAMIREZ à son co-pilote. Celui-ci bondit au hublot dites normales et, de plus, il leur chargeait Cinq heures de l'après-midi et person et répondit: oui, mais elle est très large. le temps pris pour aller à salle de bain. ne ne m'approche. Pas une seule étreinte Comme ils l'admirent et rient de ses A-t-elle dit cela pour s'attirer les grâces, en cette foutue journée. En cette fin de blagues. Même Blanquita doit être folle de pour que je ne la pénalise plus pour ses quinzaine, des cadeaux seraient trop lui. C'était ainsi au lycée: il y avait tou retards ? Ventes totales janvier-juin, demander déjà qu'ils ont toutes les misères jours un recalé dans toutes les matières, 345 mille nouveaux pesos. Moins 15 pour à joindre les deux bouts, mais au moins, mais avec un talent pour dominer les gens, — cent de taxes et deux pourcent des divi une felicitation, bordel, une crasseuse carte le véritable minus de la classe, au-dessus dendes fixes, 292 mille 317. Très bien pour quoi. Les dépenses de mai-décembre s'élè des trépassés comme moi, chargés de main les chiffres, certes très bien. Je ne me plains vent à 361 nouveaux pesos. Plus les tenir l'ordre et la discipline. Luna, assieds- jamais, les choses sont toujours au clair. intérêts moratoires par portefeuilles échus, toi. Je vais inscrire ton nom au tableau. Je Personne ne te félicite, ni ces crétins de 394 mille 518. Blanca Estela, se pavanant t'ai vu donner une tape à Reyes Retana ; la chefs. Ils nous emmerdent beaucoup avec sans perdre sa grâce — à peine si prochaine fois je leur qualité totale, mais au fond ils s'en bal elle se permet un balancement des t'enlève un point ancent et j'ai raison. La vie est faite pour la hanches —, esquive les bureaux de pour mauvaise con vivre pleinement. Au-delà d'une certaine Bautista y Caceres. Elle est si duite. Qui est limite, le travail devient une prison. Celui savoureuse, mais ne devrait pas celui qui qui ne vit que pour travailler est comme venir au travail vêtue d'une mini ma mis ce une chenille enfermée dans son cocon. Ils jupe si ajustée. Elle est la seule à chewing- doivent penser cela de moi, que j'ai le pouvoir humaniser la vie sociale de coeur de porc-épic. Lorsqu'un de mes com la compagnie. Endoctrinée par les pagnons me cause à l'heure de la pause, je manuels de «dépassement du per lui réponds de façon évasive ou bien je le sonnel», elle croit que nous som laisse avec ses mots dans la bouche même mes une grande famille et elle s'il espère de ma part une distraction. traîne avec elle la liste des anniver Bonjour Guillermo. Et tes prévisions saires de tout le personnel, même les sportives ? Comme d'habitude, je me hommes. Elle organise, par sa propre suis trompé, lui répondis-je et au initiative, des collectes pour l'achat de gâteaux, elle rassemble les gens de chacun des étages et les entraîne au bureau du fêté pour lui chanter le joyeux anniversaire. Elle ne peut m'oublier, je suis son ami. Mais Enrique Sema est né à Blanca Estela passe au large de mon bureau Mexico en 1959 où il a sans se retourner. Tu me déçois, ma belle. Ne suis-je plus à l'ordre du jour ? obtenu un diplôme en lit' sur ma térature espagnole de Recettes accumulées lors du premier chaise? l'Université Nationale trimestre de l'année, 546 mille nouveaux Qui est-ce 1 Autonome en 1985. II a pesos. Moins les cotisations de la sécurité Pareil comme main sociale, 79 mille 810. Aux autres, on leur tenant, exactement collaboré à plusieurs revues prépare une fête au restaurant, avec les pareil. Il n'y a pas de et périodiques et il a aussi tra mariachis. Ils sont, nécessairement, les grande différence entre un chef de groupe vaillé comme scénariste pour des gâtés du bureau, les sympathiques profes et un sous gérant des ressources humaines. » sionnels qui se bagarrent avec tout le Le même rôle de gendarme, de con à séries télévisées. Parmi ses publi' monde. Comme par exemple Caceres. 11 est tremaître qui tourne le dos au spectacle cations récentes, mentionnons le entré comme auxiliaire à la comptabilité et pour obliger les autres à faire leur devoir I il y restera parce qu'il est un poltron ; néan insupportable. Avant je leur enlevais des roman EL MIEDO A LOS ANI moins, le crétin a du charme. 11 faut le voir points, maintenant des journées de paie. 2 MALES, Joaquin Mortiz, 1995; racontant ses blagues dans la petite pièce C'est pour cela que personne ne vient me AMORES DE SEGUNDA MANO de la cafétéria, entouré de secrétaires, pen féliciter, ils veulent se venger. Peut-être ai- dant que les téléphones sifflent sans que je été trop sévère avec le personnel. Mais (contes), CAL Y ARENA, I994 personne ne veuille y répondre. Vous ai-je Blanca Estela m'a dit l'autre jour dans l'as et le roman SENORITA déjà conté la blague du pilote galicien ? Il censeur — lorsque je suis seul avec elle, je MEXICO, PLAZA VALDÉS, en résulte qu'un galicien allait atterrir à deviens nerveux et je bégaye — que j'étais l'aéroport et il dut freiner à faire crier les une onde positive à l'inverse du dernier 1993. EL MATADITO a été pneus parce que la piste se terminait. As-tu sous-gérant, un sot aux cheveux gras qui ne publié dans la revue La Jornada remarqué comment elle est courte ? lui dit laissait pas manger les employés aux heures en juillet 1995. 18 VICE VERSA 53 lieu de continuer à lui parler comme l'exige faire l'accolade ? C'est ce que ferait Caceres Dehors, sur le trottoir infesté de com la courtoisie, de lui demander comment va s'il était à ma place. Je ne peux m'humilier merçants, à peine y a-t-il de l'espace pour la grossesse de sa femme ou de commenter à ce point. Ce serait ridicule, une confes marcher, mon nid se calme un moment, les buts de la journée dominicale, je me sion d'impuissance, comme si j'admettais dépassé par l'énorme guêpier à l'extérieur. sens menacé par sa gentillesse et je re que je les ai trompés, que j'ai interprété une Je voudrais boire quelque chose, mais où ? tourne à mon ordinateur, cette extension comédie et joué un rôle autre, touchez-moi Dans les cantines du coin, il y a toujours de mon âme où je suis à l'abri des intrus. Ce s'il vous plaît, je ne suis pas un glaçon effi des gens du bureau et ce serait étouffant robot, ennemi du monde, cet ogre goulu cient, j'ai besoin d'affection comme vous d'occuper une table seul comme un chien esclave du devoir qui n'a jamais rien tous, petit j'ai aussi pleuré lorsqu'on tua la pendant que les autres boivent en groupe. partagé avec personne, veut qu'on le maman de Bambi. J'ai déjà eu à le faire, mais je ne suis pas félicite pour son anniversaire et qu'on lui Ils voudraient me voir ainsi, à leur d'humeur à assumer ma solitude comme un éteigne les bougies. pied, mais jamais je ne leur donnerai l'op défi. Je préfère marcher vers le sud, mar Cinq heures et demie, tout est foutu. portunité de m'implorer. Votre indifférence cher dix ou douze heures, rien en tête, Bautista se frotte les yeux et bâille avec est un stimulant pour mon orgueil. Je vous esquivant les vendeurs ambulants et les amertume tout en regardant la rue, comme importe peu ? Ni vous à moi, salauds, nous regards ébahis des fantoches. Arrêt, un un singe en cage dans un laboratoire. Il sommes à égalité. Le temps passe vite. Six kiosque à journaux. J'achète le journal le espère sortir. Lui, profite de son temps heures vingt-cinq, d'ici peu, plus personne plus scandaleux, La Prensa, qui est fier libre. Je l'ai accompagné une fois à La Via ne sera dans l'édifice. Comme d'habitude, d'annoncer en gros caractères un chiffre Lactea, la cantine du coin de la rue. Nous Caceres prépare son sac pour sortir avant record : 7 mille suicides pour le premier commandons quelques verres, la joie nous l'heure. Je pourrais le retenir à sa place trimestre de l'année. Il y a des douzaines de frappe, une autre ronde s'il vous plaît, en jusqu'à six heures et demie — la gérance bistrots, le difficile est de savoir où on sert fin de compte le monde ne prend pas fin m'a donné des pouvoirs pour faire respecter une bonne bouffe. Un instant, pourquoi parce que nous manquons un après-midi au l'horaire—, mais je le laisse partir feignant tant de détours si tu n'as pas faim ? Je boulot. N'est-ce pas l'innocent ? Tu es très une distraction. Si je me mets de mauvaise prends d'assaut le premier bar qui me sérieux, mais je t'aime bien; santé l'ami, humeur, il va croire que je suis mortifié par tombe sous les yeux et je choisis une table pour elles, même si elles payent mal, et l'effort. Bautista me redonne la calculatrice éloignée de celles des joueurs de dominos. nous finîmes saouls dans une banque de et me salue d'un geste mécanique de la Un Don Pedro avec coca, si vous me faites Caribaldi, en chantant Lampara sin lu2. main. Même Blanca Estela a commencé à plaisir. Nous faisons une promotion, Depuis ce temps, je ne sais s'il accepterait se poudrer le nez. Aurait-elle un rendez- aujourd'hui, nous servons deux verres pour un verre, que diable, un anniversaire est un vous avec un galant ? Trop de maquillage le prix d'un. Vous savez, jeune homme, à anniversaire, je ne veux pas retourner à la pour son âge. Je lui ai dit une fois, vous cause de la crise nous avons perdu beau maison et m'écraser sur le lit en regardant seriez beaucoup plus belle le visage propre, coup de clients et le propriétaire veut les lecteurs de nouvelles. Jour de chance, elle ne m'a pas écouté. Et si je l'invitais à relancer le bar. Attention, serveur bavard. Bautista se lève et s'approche de moi. Enfin manger ? Je n'ai pas besoin de lui parler de Vous êtes seul ? Non, j'attends quelques j'ai un ami enjôlé qui me nécessite pour ne mon anniversaire ni tomber dans le amis. pas boire seul- Écoute, Guillermo, je suis en pathétisme, je l'invite simplement dans un train de faire la balance que tu m'as bon restaurant et je lui déclare : savez-vous C'est la vérité, je les attends en vain demandée, mais ma calculatrice ne fonc quoi Blanquita, je pense souvent à vous, depuis vingt ans, lorsqu'ils ont commencé à tionne pas, tu me prêtes la tienne ? Bien j'ai de sérieuses intentions, je ne fume pas m'ignorer à l'école à cause de mes allures sûr, voilà. Bautista me tourne le dos et et ne bois pas en excès, je vis avec madame d'indépendance et de ma solitude hostile. retourne à son bureau, le regard brumeux ma mère et j'ai économisé un certain mon J'ouvre le journal pour chasser le serveur, comme les hommes qui ont classé leurs tant pour vous acheter ce que vous méritez. pendant que je me plonge dans mes années illusions. Personne ne veut boire quelques Mais le crétin à Caceres l'attend à l'as du secondaire. Aimais-je réellement étudi verres avec monsieur le sous-gérant, et censeur, retenant la porte d'une allure très er? Quelquefois non. Les études étaient puis ? Cherchons le côté positif des choses. courtoise et elle, court à sa rencontre sans une forme d'évasion, un subterfuge pour ne Tu t'es sauvé d'une soûlerie. Le voyant avoir terminé de se poudrer le visage. Je pas vivre dans une fourmilière, intégré aux ainsi en face, c'est le mieux pour ta santé. m'en doutais: ces deux là sont ensemble. groupes et aux bandes où je me sentais Ce ne sera pas la première fois que Caceres diminué, subordonné à l'approbation des autres. Le terrain de la récré m'inspirait Mais les frustrations aussi font mal, trompe sa femme. Et Blanca doit avoir plu une terreur, c'était une arène de lutte ver autant ou même plus que les cuites. Vouloir sieurs amants, un pour chaque jour de la se bale et physique où on devait être un mar et ne pas pouvoir. C'est l'histoire de ma vie. maine. On dit même que le directeur du ginal pour imposer le respect. Des tapes, L'histoire d'un rêve mis à l'écart. Ce qui me marketing l'a eu dans son lit et c'est ainsi des insultes, prête moi ta soeur. Dans le fait mal c'est de ne pas pouvoir contrôler qu'elle se promène en Volkswagen. Avant hall, il y avait des règles claires et je n'avais les autres, volontairement, comme si je je ne le croyais pas, calomnies, pensais-je. pas besoin d'être aimé par aucun imbécile, bougeais une jambe ou un bras. Au fond, je Maintenant, j'imagine le pire en chacun. tout dépendait de mon propre effort. Dix suis identique au disciple d'Hitler qui occu J'éteins l'ordinateur, mais je garde les yeux en Chimie. Dix en Espagnol. Dix en pait mon poste l'an passé. J'aurais voulu rivés sur l'écran quelques minutes, comme Géographie. Premier de classe. Médailles, avoir tout sous mon contrôle. Mais les un exercice de yoga, pour ne pas rencontrer diplômes, une visite à Los Pinos pour saluer autres ne sont pas où je les nécessite et les poinçonneurs de l'étage dessous. Je ne le premier ministre. Vous êtes l'orgueil de n'obéissent pas à mes désirs par télépathie. peux dégager les mâchoires, j'ai un nid tout le Mexique, la génération que amèn Ils sont libres, ils se dirigent eux-mêmes et d'abeilles dans l'estomac. Par la fenêtre, era notre pays vers le chemin du progrès et personne ne veut me féliciter. Vais-je crier j'aperçois Blanca Estela et Caceres entre les du bien-être. Luna, le champion de pour cela? Liste mensuelle, 167 mille 510 piétons de l'axe Central, brillant dans la l'athlétisme, exerçait sur moi une pression plus les liquidations à titre d'honoraires, foule grâce à l'éclat de leur sourire impur. avec ses prières imperatives. Tu me donnes 182 mille 550, moins les prêts, 174 mille Une carabine, j'ai besoin d'une carabine de une chance de copier sur toi à l'examen ? 560 point 67- Un homme sans complexe haut calibre. Ils tomberaient comme des Non, le professeur peut nous voir. Allez, ça les aurait déjà engueulés sans gêne : rats. te coûte quoi. Parfait, mentais-je, mais à écoutez, messieurs, aujourd'hui c'est mon l'heure de l'examen, je cachais mes flancs anniversaire, qu'attendez-vous pour me VICE VERSA 53 19 pour qu'il ne puisse pas voir mes réponses. faites-vous ? Nous sommes camionneurs, Crétin, trou du cul, que tu pourrisses, nous apportons de la viande congelée une bourrade et ma galette sur le sol, depuis Sonora, mais aujourd'hui nous nageant dans une marre d'eau n'avons pas eu de travail. Portez un toast, huileuse. les verres s'entrechoquent. Éloges insolents Mon coca brandy est à la serveuse qui m'a servi, équipée de ma fort, mais il est si sucré gnifiques fesses. La conversation s'anime et qu'il ne gratte pas la je demande à Ruben si les camionneurs gorge. J'y vais pour ont réellement des femmes dans un troisième et ^ chaque village. Pure histoire, je me sens sourit, quelquefois on en abrité, rencontre quelques-unes dans les haltes. En re vanche, elles t'arrivent avec une histoire comme quoi elles vont avoir un enfant et veulent que séraphique, t u invulnérable. 1 e s Après tout, à qui entre cela importe que mes tiennes. À honneurs académiques cause de cela, se soient retournés contre plus de petites moi, jusqu'à me convertir en poulettes. Mon accou un empesté. N'est-ce pas le des plement avec les ca tin de toute personne remarquable ? mionneurs est instantané L'amour-propre comme moyen de salut. et parfait. C'est ma flotte, La grandeur du héros solitaire qui s'impose celle que je cherchais depuis à l'adversité. Fanfares d'honneur... Image toute ma vie. Nous commandons d'un faucon survolant un sommet enneigé. une bouteille de Don Pedro. On cause Vos amis ne sont pas arrivés ? Encore une de foot, tranchantes opinions sur l'écolo fois le serveur aimable et emmerdant. gie, finances et politique nationale.Prustas, Comme il embête pour avoir un bon pour Panistas, Américanisés, tous de la même de pin boire. Je regarde ma montre, contrarié. J'ai merde. Leodegario parle de sa terre, la val mélangé l'impression qu'ils ne viendront pas. Je lui lée de Yaqui, où sa famille cultive le sorgho. avec le parfum en apporte d'autres ? Non, donnez-moi Quel formidable repos, celui d'abdiquer bon marché des l'addition, je vais aller les chercher dans un pour un moment du moi, se fondre avec dames qui attendent autre bar. Les chaises réservées pour mes autrui en une cellule indivisible où les les clients au bar. amis imaginaires me contemplent d'un air autres pensent et parlent pour toi. Ruben goguenard. Mais je ne suis pas vaincu, ni Pourquoi si seul ? Tu vois, je cherche une propose qu'on appelle quelques filles. triste. La solitude me paraît un con copine et peut-être es-tu une de celles-là. J'accepte, enchanté, et je m'assois sur les tretemps facile à remédier. Je peux aller Bien répondu. Ainsi réagissent les hommes jambes de la serveuse aux fesses monumen chercher Bautista à La via Lactea, Blanca du monde, les triomphateurs qui ne suffo tales, qui s'appelle Ana Laura. Pour moi, Estela et Caceres sont, je n'en doute pas, là quent jamais. La serveuse sourit et par un vermouth s'il vous plaît. Moi, une char buvant un verre avec lui. Je savoure avec réflexe je tâte la poche intérieure de ma treuse. Et toi ma reine ? un ruso blanc. Ana délectation mon quatrième Don Pedro. Il veste, où je trouve les deux cents pesos que Laura veut tout faire avec moi et elle me est l'heure de vaincre mes complexes et de j'avais pris soin de prendre dans ma table masse la verge avec le dos de sa main. saisir la vie comme elle vient. Mais atten de nuit, prévoyant que j'allais fêter mon Pense à autre chose, ne va pas éjaculer dans tion, peut-être que je deviens impertinent, anniversaire avec quelqu'un. J'apporte le le pantalon. Savez-vous quelle est la nou j'insulte Blanca Estela d'être si pute, je me journal enroulé sous mon aisselle, mais je velle méthode de détection du SIDA ? Tu verse le verre sur le pantalon ou je fais sor ne compte pas me cacher derrière lui. Tout te penches et regardes entre tes jambes et si tir Caceres de ses gonds. Discrédité. Perte autrement, je trinque avec les occupants de tu as quatre couilles alors c'est qu'on ta filé d'autorité. Ma réputation renversée dans la la table voisine, un moustachu avec une le virus. Ha ! ha ! ha ! Je m'amuse à leur boue. Ce serait la saloperie du siècle. Boire veste de cuir, criblé de tâches de rousseurs conpter la blague du pilote galicien, en jusqu'à éclater, mais non pas devant eux. et un jeune au visage osseux qui lève son copiant le style de Caceres. Succès reten verre à ma santé. Que faire ? Rien, je suis tissant, rires de Leodegario. Sa fille s'é venu passer le temps. Et vous aimez boire touffe et il doit lui faire boire une gorgée de Brève trotte sur le trottoir étroit de seul ? quelquesfois. Ne soyez pas timide et Coca-Cola. La bouteille tire à sa fin, com l'hôtel de ville, cherchant où le suivre. venez à notre table. Ruben Montes pour le mandons-nous une autre ? car maintenant, J'entre dans le bar El Eden, attiré par la servir, celui-ci c'est mon confrère il se fait tard. Je sens que la table com lumière violette de la marquise et la sug Leodegario, mais je l'appelle Leo. En mence à se détacher du sol comme un objet gestive pénombre qui se perçoit depuis la chanté, Guillermo Palomino, je travaille vivant. Mesdames et Messieurs, s'il vous rue. Des serveuses en minijupes rouges, dans une compagnie d'articles pour le plaît gardez le silence: je veux vous faire nombril à l'air, des sièges avec appui élevé, foyer, je suis sous-gérant des ressources prendre conscience qu'aujourd'hui c'est une télévision présentant des vidéoclips de humaines, voici ma carte. Et vous, que groupes tropicaux, odeur à désinfectant 20 VICE VERSA 53 mon anniversaire. Ça te plait bien ? se sur taine, j'avais de l'argent, mais ces salauds par les employés du bureau. C'est assez de prend Ruben. Seigneur que oui. Regarde, m'ont volé. Cherchez bien. Je lui jure que dissimuler les peureux. Le premier qui sans plus. Tu ne le manifestais pas beau je les avais dans cette poche. Le capitaine accumule trois retards dans le mois, je lui coup. Quel âge as-tu ? Trente-huit. Venez me fouille la veste et les pantalons, respi enlève un jour de salaire. C'est terminé les par ici, le trio. Innocent, méprisable, je rant par le nez, signe qu'il perdait patience. bons pour la nourriture, les permissions t'aime comme un frère. Voici le joyeeeeeux Voyons comment cela se fait, il me pousse sans solde, les prêts, et quand Blanca Estela anniversaire que chantaaaaait le roi David. contre le mur, ici personne ne quitte sans viendra toucher en avance sa prime pour Ronde d'accolades, Leodegario me payer. Ecoutez-moi, je ne mérite pas ce les vacances, je vais lui tourner le dos, je défait le dos à cause de ses robustes tapes. traitement. Non ? Qui te crois tu être n'ai pas l'autorisation de la gérance, la Petites caresses avec Ana Laura qui a bu crétin ? Coup de genoux dans les parties sécurité sociale a oublié un document, quatre rusos blancs et qui est sobre. Boit- accompagné d'un coup de karate sur la maintenant j,ai besoin de son numéro elle de l'eau colorée ? Quelque chose dans nuque. Obscurité totale. Plié en deux par la d'employer, je suis désolé, l'ordinateur a ma tête rebondit comme une balle. J'ai la douleur, je reçois une bordée de coups de effacé votre nom. En pleine sobriété rancu nausée, mais je ne veux me défaire de la poings dans les côtes. Noiceur totale. nière, je commence à crier. Qu'est-ce que grande famille que nous avons formée. J'aperçois en quelques rapides flashs le vis je suis en train de penser, jamais je ne trait Ruben et Leo se lèvent pour aller danser. age du capitaine se transformant en une erais un compagnon de cette manière, je ne Qu'il ne reste pas de trace avec ses putes. autre face odieuse, celle de Luna, mon supplante personne et je me suis repenti Pour ne pas briser l'unité du groupe moi ancien bourreau d'école. Je ne sais pas qui des bassesses que j'ai commises dans mon aussi je vais danser et j'essaie de suivre Ana me donne des coups dans les reins ni celui esprit. Peur de vieillir avec ces blessures Laura dans ses mouvements étourdissants. qui me tire par les cheveux jusqu'à la porte que je déteste. La possibilité de me conver Mal fait. Secoué, la pression se met à baiss du bar. Une poussée violente et je tombe tir en un grand trou est si éloignée. Ce er et je commence à suer. Avec ta permis sur le trottoir où Ana Laura m'enfonce son serait la conséquence logique d'avoir reçu sion ma belle, je reviens tout de suite, mur- talon pointu dans le bas-ventre : ceci c'est une volée après l'autre pour chaque tenta murais-je, luttant pour contenir mes de ma part, mon crétin d'enculé. tive de m'être ouvert aux autres. Où que spasmes de vomissement. Méprisable j'aille les lumières s'éteignent autour de Guillermo, qui te dis de boire autant. Après avoir attendu, recroquevillé moi. Je n'ai même pas d'ennemis, je suis en J'ouvre d'un coup la porte de la salle de contre la chaussée, par peur d'une nouvelle duel contre la vie. Le tremblement des bain incapable d'arriver à la toilette, je volée de coups, je m'essuie les vêtements et voies annonce l'arrivée du métro. Au crache dans le lavabo une fumante bouillie je vérifie si je n'ai aucun os de brisé, même moins laisser un souvenir, sortir de la scène noire. Esprit éveillé, tort instantané. Le si je saigne du nez. 38 ans, 570 pesos, 7 sans blesser personne, comme un discret vieux (de la salle de bain) m'offre une mille suicides dans le premier semestre de acteur secondaire. Courage, un pas en serviette en papier. Qu'il ne reste pas de l'année. Je fais encore des chiffres. De avant et tout se termine. La lumière, l'é trace que non que non, qu'il ne reste pas de retour à l'obscurité arithmétique, d'où clatement orangé de la mort. 38 ans, 456 trace. L'eau du robinet ne réussit pas à laver aucune parole amicale ne peut percer mon mois, 13 870 jours. Qu'il ne reste pas de mon crime parce que les morceaux armure de fer. Ainsi je me sens mieux, isolé trace, que non... d'arachides ont bouché la bande du lavabo. par un rideau de chiffres. Pour un homme J'essaie de les enlever avec le doigt, mais il comme moi, le langage est entièrement Des heures après, le licencié Juan me prend une seconde attaque de nausée. superflu. Mon mouchoir ne peut contenir Manuel Arriaga, superviseur de la sécurité Je termine d'évacuer mon estomac dans la Phémoragie et je laisse s'écouler sur le trot et de la vigilance de la station, arrive à toilette, après une large succession de toir un mince filet de sang. Joyeux anniver l'adresse écrite sur les documents du tué- nausées. Je ne devrais pas continuer à saire. Happy Birthday to you. Ils parais Avenue Consulado 123, intérieur C, colo- boire, assez c'est assez. J'arrange ma cra saient si aimables. Des gens francs et sim nia Asturias- pour informer à sa famille la vate, me lave le visage et j'achète quelques ples du nord. Peut-être n'étaient-ils pas tragédie. Il apportait dans un sac en plas chewing-gums à la menthe au discret camionneurs et ils étaient associés aux gens tique les effets personnels du suicidé ainsi Mathusalem de la porte, qui m'observe du bar. Une femme me regarde d'un air qu'une autorisation du Servive médical avec un mélange de compassion et de méfiant et change de côté de rue. Idiote de Forense pour que la parenté puisse réclamer mépris. merde. Il en résulte que je suis le délin le corps. Le vestibule était ouvert. Il monta quant. Il doit y avoir une station de métro et frappa longuement du poing contre la près d'ici, mais où ? 10 en chimie plus 60 porte C. Quelqu'un lui a ouvert sans lui Dehors, la musique s'est tue. Je suis coups dans les reins moins 200 pesos volés demander qui il était et a laissé la porte surpris de ne pas rencontrer à la table mes égale à 0 ami. Au loin, je vois une avenue entrouverte comme dans les films d'hor copains. Tes amis sont partis, sourit Ana illuminée. Est-ce Balderas ? Après tout, je reur. À l'intérieur tout était obscur et il ne Laura, ils ont dit au patron que tu payais. regrette la mort subite de la fête. Si j'avais savait pas s'il devait entrer ou non. Le patron, un grand aux mains poilues et au de l'argent je chercherais à me divertir dans Finalement.il décida de pousser la porte. visage enfantin, me remet l'addition sans un autre taudis. Finalement ? Ils m'ont tout Lumière intense, musique au maximum, me regarder. 570 pesos, plus ce qu'on veut fait cracher. Traînant les pieds, je marche des serpentins un peu partout. Madame donner aux filles. Un moment, je vais lui vers l'avenue, avec l'essaim d'abeilles plus Palomino avança dans sa direction avec payer ma part, mais les messieurs qui agité que jamais. Enfin la bouche du métro, une énorme tarte aux fraises, mais en le étaient avec moi, venaient de leur côté. Ils cette échappatoire souterraine vers l'autre voyant elle fit une moue amère. ont dit que vous les aviez invités. Ce n'est réalité. Notant que les gens s'écartent de Désillusionné, Bautista et Caceres lais pas vrai, ils m'ont appelé à leur table, mais moi, je prends conscience de mon odeur de sèrent tomber une pancarte où était écrit ce ne sont pas mes amis. Quelle saloperie, vomi. Vous n'aimez pas ? Alors écartez-vous Félicitations chef. Vous êtes amis de quelqu'un doit payer. Avez-vous une carte crétins. Le gâteau, je n'ai pas eu de gâteau. Guillermo ? lui demanda Blanca Estela. de crédit ? Non et j'ai seulement deux cents Soudaine et absurde tristesse pour ne pas Elle s'était enlevé la couche de maquillage pesos. Je porte la main à la poche de ma avoir éteint les chandelles, mêlée à un et elle était plus belle que jamais. • veste, mais les billets ne sont plus là. blâme infini de la foule de passagers qui Décharge d'adrénaline, bourdonnement remplissent le quai. Sournois, troupeau dans les tympans. Je me rappelle les félici puant. À partir de maintenant je vais être — Traduction faite par Carlos Séguin tations et je crois que l'un de mes frère a dû salaud avec tout le monde en commençant me faire les poches. Quelle peine, capi VICE VERSA 53 21 Imagining the Canadian Community: taking a Cm Irom owt Writers DANIELLE MILLER Since the Canadian crisis is also a crisis of modernity, we are perhaps doomed to remain in Blake's bestiary as long as recognition, authenticity, and identity do not find their peaceful solution. — Wladimir Krysinski re c O o ÊT jy "re a < 00 •O O c o 1 re I 1 n display at the Art Gallery of wooded than it is today - after almost two the settlement of the colony by presenting Nova Scotia is a series of four hundred and fifty years of urban develop it as a mere extension (annex) of England. paintings "A View of Halifax, ment. Given that Dominique Serres had These four paintings also demonstrate the Nova Scotia" painted around never set foot in the New World and had problem of imagining Canada, or any New O1765 by Dominique Serres, an English executed his series from sketches provided World country, with Old World represen artist born in France. Despite their beauty to him by a British officer, it is little won tational techniques. and their serenity, these paintings depict der that "A View of Halifax, Nova Scotia" A hundred years after Serres painted ing the construction of Halifax from four resembles a view of any English country "A View of Halifax, Nova Scotia" the different perspectives, jar the viewer. The side. Commissioned by the British govern problem of representing Canada remained city they portray is less rugged and less ment, these works were used to promote unresolved. In what is recognised as one of 22 VICE VERSA 53 the first Canadian novels, Roughing It in the Bush, the British immigrant author, Susanna Moodie, wavers between enthusi astic Romantic descriptions of her voyage up the St. Lawrence River, and the horror at the vastness and the roughness of the land. Her ambivalence raises the more fun damental question of how to imagine and describe the Canadian landscape with the English language? Can one really use the word "lake" in reference to the continental seas that are lakes Huron, Erie, Michigan, Ontario and Superior? Is the St. Lawrence really a "river" in the British sense of the word? The dilemma of defining Canada has also haunted political debate. In 1867, little more that an entity entitled British North America, throughout the twentieth century our country has become bilingual, multicultural, and even post-national! None of these labels seems to fit, however, and each has its critics. Furthermore, what is Quebec's place in this union? A defining feature of Canadian identity, the province now feels that it would like to leave the nation that it has helped to create. But should we even speak of national identities in an age of globalisation'. Does a national narrative mean exclusion, or worse, geno cide for those who don't fit the mould? To sketch out an answer to these ques tions, let us turn to the writings of six Canadian authors (Anne-Marie Alonzo, Douglas Coupland, Thomas King, Janice Kulyk-Keefer, Monique Larue, Michael Ondaatje) to understand the various ways The most striking and important fea of a post baby-boomer generation that not in which Canadian have imagined their ture of these texts in particular and of only finds itself engulfed in the nostalgia of community. A survey of our literature Canadian literary and cultural space in their parent's generation but excluded from shows there to be no such thing as a work general is their hybridity that is to say their the global economic order. In the words of (or identity) that is formally or thematical- constant birth and rebirth from a mixture one reviewer: "Andy, Dag, and Claire are ly Canadian. In its place exists a dynamic of various cultures and concerns. Anne- underemployed, overeducated, intensely and evolving story that provides a new def Marie Alonzo's poem, "Galia s'était private, and unpredictable. Like the group inition for the old concept of "nation" . In cloitrée", depicting the encounter between they mirror, they have nowhere to direct some senses, Canada as described by its two friends from different backgrounds their anger, no one to assuage their fears, authors, is a microcosm of the global vil (Jeanne who speaks Italian and English and no culture to replace their anomie". lage that is to say a community that recog and Galia who speaks French) explores Frustration and restlessness, as nises, explores and is entrenched in plural the relationship between the female body Monique Larue's text proves are not senti ity. and writing. Once excluded from the male ments limited exclusively to the X genera dominated field of literature, the feminine As each of the six authors demon tion. "Prison Humaine" describes the author must reinvent language or at least strates there is no such thing as one anguish of a college professor, Garneau, a re-negotiate her relationship to it so that it Canadian identity but rather a multitude of washed-up disillusioned baby boomer who represents the experiences of her physical differing relationships to Canada. These feels trapped by his job, his friendship and being - the basic element distinguishing stories voice the many, frequently conflict the tangled web that is his family. Jealous women from men. Through her fluid and ing concerns of women, men, Natives, but enable to emulate his unconventional lyrical text Galia writes her body and its immigrants, Francophones, Anglophones, ex-brother-in-law, Dubuc, who uses his various pains and pleasures (eating, drink who are speaking from various spaces and imagination to transform what was once a ing, love-making, death and separation). times within the Canadian community. broom closet into an office resembling an Henri Rousseau painting, Garneau finds Influenced by popular/media culture, oral In stark contrast to Alonzo, but just as himself going slowly mad. Larue's mythology and literary images, these sto "Canadian", stands Douglas Coupland's "It kafkaesque story, portrays the despair of a ries interact and merge with each other Can't Last" exerpted from his famous novel man imprisoned by his own fears and neu and with other stories thereby contributing Generation X. It represents the effects of rosis. to the evolution of a hybrid national liter popular media culture on three friends' ature and identity. More specifically, these (Andy, Claire and Dag) perceptions of The most formally conventional text writings force the red-coated Mountie to themselves and of their place in the world. among the six, Janice Kulyk-Keefer's move over and share his status as Canada's The protagonists' irony, disillusionment "April Showers" describes Louise's painful national symbol with Thomas King's and cynicism toward life have come to homecoming. Not only must she reconcile Coyote and Ondaatje's Cinnamon Peeler. symbolise - perhaps unjustly - the attitude herself to her pregnancy but to the various VICE VERSA 53 23 spaces, times and cultures that constitute or cold objectivity. In "White Dwarves" in Canada one point on which they seem her identity. Kulyk-Keefer's story explores the narrator begins by citing general rea to confer is that the Canadian community and exposes the ambiguities and conflicts sons for composing this work ("This is for cannot be organised around discourses that mark both personal and national iden people"), only to betray his own need to privileging origin and based on a hierarchy tity. Like Louise, a French speaking create for fear of losing his talent ("There is of who arrived in Canada first. These nar Acadian girl who becomes a well-to-do my fear/ of no words of/falling without ratives fail to reflect the plurality of Vancouver lawyer and who must acknowl words/ over and over of mouthing the Canadian cultural space - especially since edge her rural past and cosmopolitan pre silence"). roughly 20 % of people living in this coun sent, Canada is at once rural, urban, On another level, Ondaatje's work try were not born here. The six texts por English, French, and many other things... illustrates the evolution of a Canadian lit tray Canadian identity not as a fixed and In both cases identity emerges as a frag erature from a tension and symbiosis homogenous narrative written by two mented, heterogeneous phenomenon from among various cultures and spaces. For founding peoples or three founding nations a juxtaposition of spaces and times. example, in "In A Yellow Room" but as a constantly fluctuating and porous narrative issuing from a tension between Beneath the humour and the simple Ondaatje's blends Fats Waller's world with the stories of people who live in Canada language of Thomas King's two stories lies the author's present location in Southern and the tales and images of people like a scathing condemnation of the effects of Ontario. Although jarring at first, the nar Galia, Alonzo's protagonist who join the Western society and Christianity on rator's assertion that "This is [Fats Waller's] community. Native values and culture. Ahab's state first visit to the country, though he saw it from a train window the day before he ment that "This is a Christian world, you Alonzo's, Coupland's, Kulyk-Keefer's, died", forces the reader to recognise that know, we only kill things that are useful or King's, Larue's, and Ondaatje's, writings this space called Canada is both a distinct things we don't like" reminds the reader of challenge the possibility of a single entity geographical entity and a space into which the Old World's decimation of New World called Canadian literature. They oblige the other spaces have collapsed. Like Waller plants and animals. King does not simply reader to redefine the concepts of nation who transforms Harlem heat and smells criticise the effects of Western con and national identity so as to recognise into music, Ondaatje blends Waller's space sumerism on Native culture but underlines their fundamentally heterogeneous, diverse and time into his own present text to cre its exclusion of anyone who is different and and fluctuating character. This is not a ate a work that includes other places and marginal. In his writing history becomes a weakness but a strength for in the words of Octavio Paz: What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attraction and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and pecu liarities, by eliminating different civilisations and cultures, progress weakens life and favours death. The ideal of a single civilisation for everyone, implicit in the cult of progress (of) technique, impov erishes and mutilates us. Every view of the world that becomes extinct, every culture that disap pears diminishes a possibility (Multiplicity 186). The plurality of contradictory narrative within the imagined Canadian community represents the life and the dynamism of our culture. As described by Ondaatje, Fats Waller's impression of Canada from a train window is perhaps, in ludicrous exercise that instead of describ cultures. Larue creates a similar effect the end, the most accurate impression of ing what happened, constantly portrays the through her references to Poe, Baudelaire, the country. Like any landscape viewed superiority of the bumbling White man. Emile Nelligan and Rimbaud. from a moving vehicle the Canadian com munity is not static but constantly chang King's texts forces the reader to rethink our But since there is no such thing as a ing and evolving. As the twentieh century values and our knowledge of the past. body of literature that is formally and the- draws to a close, Canada need no longer be Michael Ondaatje's writings chal matically Canadian can one speak of a defined by the Old World but instead is lenges readers by leading them willingly on national narrative (or Canadian identity) ? poised to provide Europe and the rest of a journey through various places and Can we even speak of a Canadian nation? the world with an example of how various emotions, a journey fraught with images of Once again we look to our authors for cues. cultures can live together and co-operate. violence, sexuality, art, power, domesticity The X generation's rejection of global and anguish. While the languid and sensu culture and their quest for some form of al rhythm of the "Cinnamon Peeler" community suggests the need for a regroup seduces the reader, the sheer panic of ing of people - call it a nation - in an age of Danielle Miller ( 1970) is a doctoral candi "Heron Rex" leaves her breathless. Ondaatje globalisation. The problem still remains, date in Canadian and Comparative also possesses the rare ability to blend both however, how to organise this common Literature at the Université de Montréal. subjective and highly personal experiences community. Although the six authors She is assistant editor of without falling into either self indulgence speak from various conflicting spaces with Vice Versa magazine. 24 VICE VERSA 53 te S I as DOUGLAS COUPLAND o now you know a bit more about than lowly Larry's and a resort complete Dag (skewed as his narrative pre with nine bubbling health pools and pat sentation of his life may be). But terned imitation silver knives and forks for meanwhile, back at our picnic on how to fold Japanese paper cranes and she outdoor use. Weighty stuff, and it always Sthis throbbing desert day, Claire is just fin impressed the guests. Anyhow, I remember actually likes the taste of soya burgers. She ishing her mesquite chicken, wiping off her arrived in Palm Springs on the hot, windy watching Claire's incalculably numerous sunglasses, and replacing them with Mother's Day weekend that Nostradamus and noisy siblings, half-siblings, step-sib authority on the bridge of her nose indicat (according to some interpretations) had lings chatter incessantly out in the sun by ing that she's getting ready to tell us a story. predicted would be the end of the world. the pools, like parakeets in an aviary while A bit about Claire here: she has scrawl I was tending poolside bar at La Spa de a sullen, hungry tomcat prowls outside the handwriting like a taxi driver. She knows Luxembourg then, a far more lofty place cage's mesh. For lunch diey would only eat VICE VERSA 53 25 mother mink in a mink farm, just waiting cartons of freeze-dried army food and bot for a jet to strafe the facility, affording her tled water from Alberta. Wifey looked real an excuse to feign terror and eat her young. ly scared." The whole Baxter clan had en masse "Did you see the pound of plastic lipo- been imported from L.A. that weekend by fat in the nurse's office? Just like the fake the highly superstitious Mr. Baxter, a New food in sushi restaurant windows. Looks Age convert (thanks to wife number like a dish of raspberry kiwi fruit puree." three), to avoid a most certain doom in the "Someone turn off the wind machine, city. Shakey Angelinos like him were lurid for Chissake, it's like a fashion shoot here." ly envisioning the strangely large houses of "Stop being such a male model." the valley and canyons being inhaled into "I'll hum some Eutodisco." chinks in the earth with rich glottal slurps (Paper plates loaded with beef and and no mercy, all the while being pelleted chutney and baby vegetables were, at that by rains of toads. A true Californian, he point, gliding off the bright white tables, joked: "Hey, at least it's visual." and into the pool.) Claire, however, sat looking profound "Ignore the wind, Davie. Don't cosign ly unamused by her family's spirited, itali nature's bullshit, It'll go away." cized conversations. She was idly tethering "Hey ... is it possible to damage the her paper plate loaded with a low-calo sun? I mean, we can wreck just about any rie/high fiber lunch of pineapple bean thing we want to here on earth. But can we sprouts and skinless chicken to the outdoor screw up the sun if we wanted to? 1 don't tabletop while forceful winds, unseason know. Can we?" ably fierce, swept down from Mount San "I'm more worried about computer Jacinto. I remember the morbid snippets of viruses." chitchat that were being prattled around Claire got up and came over to the bar the table by the hordes of sleek and glam where I was working to pick up her tray- orous young Baxters: load of Cape Cods ("More Cape than Cod, "It was Hister, not Hitler, Nostra- please") and made a shrugging, "M> family, damous predicted," one brother, Allan, a zheeesh'." gesture. She then walked back to private school Biff-and-Mufrry type, yelled the table, showing me her back, which was across a table, "and he predicted the JFK framed by a black one-piece swimsuit — a assassination, too." pale white back bearing a Silly Putty-col "I don't remember the JFK assassina ored espalier of scars. These were rem tion." nants, I discovered later on, of a long-past "I'm wearing a pillbox hat to the end childhood illness that immobilized her for of the world party at Zola's, tonight. Like years in hospitals spanning from Brent Jackie. Very historical." wood to Lausanne. In these hospitals doc tors tapped vile viral syrups from her spine "The hat was a Halston, you know." Douglas Coupland was born on a and in them she also spent the formative "That's so Warhol." military base in Germany in 1961 years of her life conversing with healing "Dead celebrities are, de facto amus- and presently lives and works in invalid souls — institutional borderline ing." cases, the fringes, and the bent ("To this Vancouver, British Columbia. He "Remember that Halloween a few day, I prefer talking with incomplete peo is the author of the best-selling years ago during the Tylenol tampering ple; they're more complete"). scare, when everyone showed up at parties book, PLANET X. His most recent dressed as boxes of Tylenol..." But then Claire stopped in midmotion book is POLAROID FROM THE "...and then looked hurt when they and came back to the bar, where she lifted realized they weren't the only ones who'd her sunglasses and confided to me, "You DEAD. Among his other writings come up with the idea." know, I really think that when God puts are LIFE AFTER GOD, "You know, this is so stupid being here together families, he sticks his finget into SHAMPOO PLANET AND because there are three earthquake faults the white pages and selects a group of peo that run right through the city. We might ple at random and then says to them all, MICROSURFS. as well paint targets on our shirts." 'Hey! You're going to spend the next sev "Did Nostradamus ever say anything enty years together, even though you have about random snipers?" nothing in common and don't even like each other. And, should you not feel your fish, and only the tiny fish at that. As one "Can you milk horses?" self caring about any of this group of of them said, "The big fish have been in "What's that got to do with anything?" strangers, even for a second, you will feel just the watet a bit too long, and God only Their talk was endless, compulsive, dreadful." That's what I think. What about knows what they've had a chance to eat." and indulgent, sometimes sounding like youV And talk about pretense! They kept the the remains of the English language after same unread copy of the Frankfurter having been hashed over by nuclear war History does not record my response. AUgemeine Zeitung lying of the table for survivors for a few hundred years. But then She delivered the drinks to her family, three days running. I tell you. their words so strongly captured the spirit who delivered a chorus of "Thanks, At a nearby table, Mr. Baxter, Claire's of the times, and they remain in my mind: Spinster," and then returned. Her hair then, father, sat with his glistening and be "I saw a record producer in the parking as now, was cut short and Boopishly gemmed business cronies ignoring his prog lot. He and wifey were heading to Utah. bobbed, and she wanted to know what on eny, while Mrs. Scott-Baxter, his fourth They said this place was a disaster area, and earth I was doing in Palm Springs. She said (and trophy) wife, blond and young and only Utah was safe. They had this really hot that anyone under the age of thirty living bored, glowered at the Baxter spawn like a gold Corniche, and is the trunk they had in a resort community was on the make 26 VICE VERSA 53 somehow: "pimping, dealing, hooking, ing die occasional rum drink and Allan's quartz crystals into his hand (she was a detoxing, escaping, scamming, or what arrival to grab a dish of smoked almonds New Ager, too), carted him away, only to have you." I obliquely told her I was mere and to slap Claite of die back: "Hey, Mister hear loud clanging sounds that stopped the ly trying to erase all traces of history from — is Spinster putting the make on you?" whole poolside crowd in their tracks. my past, and she took that at face value. "Allan and my family consider me a Looking over toward the cart they saw that She then described her own job in L.A. freak because I'm not married yet," she told several stems of tableware had fallen out of while sipping her drink, absentmindedly me and then turned to pour her pink Cape Mr. Baxter's pocket. His ashen face looked scanning her complexion for arriviste pim Cod cocktail down his shirt. "And stop mortified and the silence was both incan ples in her refection in the mirrored shelf using that awful name." descent and painful. behind me. Allan didn't have time to retaliate, "Oh, Dad," said Allan, "How could "I'm a garment buyer — daywear" she though. From Mr. Baxter's table there arose you embarrass us like this?" he then said, fessed up, but then admitted that fashion a commotion as one of the seated bodies picking up a piece and looking at it was only a short-term career. "I don't think slumped and a flurry of middle-age men appraisingly. "It's obviously only plate. it's making me a better person, and the gar widi tans, paunches, and much jewelry Haven't we trained you properly?" ment business is so jammed with dishon crossed themselves and gathered around The taut cord of tension broke. There esty. I'd like to go somewhere rocky, some that slumped body — Mr. Baxter with a were laughs, and Mr. Baxter was carted where Maltese, and just empty my brain, hand clutched to his chest and eyes wide, away, only to be treated for what turned read books and be with people who wanted resembling those of Cocoa, the velvet out in the end to be a genuinely perilous to do the same thing." painting clown. heart attack after all. Claire meanwhile, I This was the point where I planted the "Not again," said Allan and Claire in noticed peripherally, sitting over die edge seed that soon bore such unexpected and unison. of one of the ocher-silted mineral pools, wonderful fruit in my life. I said, "Why "You go this time, Allan. It's your her feet dangling in the honey-colored don't you move here. Quit everything." turn." murk of water and staring at die sun, now There was a friendliness between us that Allan, dripping juice, grudgingly head almost set over the mountain. In her small made me wordlessly continue: "Clean your ed over toward the commotion, where sev voice she was talking to the sun and telling slate. Think life out. Lose your unwanted eral people were claiming to have already it she was very sorry if we'd hurt it or momentums. Just think of how therapeutic alerted the paramedics. caused it any pain. I knew then that we it could be, and there's an empty bungalow were friends for life. • right next to my place. You could move in tomorrow and I know lots of jokes." "Maybe I will," she said, "maybe I will." She smiled and then swung to look at her family, as ever preening and chatting away, arguing about the reported length of John Dillinger's member, discussing the demonic aspects of Claire's stepsister Joanne's phone number — which con tained three sixes in a row — and more about the dead Frenchman Nostradamus and his predictions. "Look at them, will you? Imagine hav ing to go to Disneyland with all of your brothers and sisters at the age of twenty- set/en. I can't believe I let myself get dragged into this. If the wind doesn't knock this place down first, it'll implode from a lack of hipness. You have brothers and sisters?" I explained that I have three of each. "So you know what it's like when everyone starts carving up the future into nasty little bits. God, when they start talk ing like that — you know all of this sex Art : R. Aksrinas / Photo :K.S. Frey gossip and end-of-the-world nonsense, I "Excuse me, Claire," I said, "but your wonder if they're really only confessing fadier looks like he's had a heart attack or something else to each odier." something. Aren't you being slightly, oh, I "Like?" don't know ... bloodless about the matter?" "Like how scared sick they all are. I "Oh, Andy. Don't worry. He does this mean, when people start talking seriously three times a year — just as long as he has Copyright © 1991 by Douglas Coupland about hoarding cases of Beef-a-Roni in die a big audience." From Generator! X by Douglas Coupland. garage and get all misty-eyed about the It was a busy little scene, that poolside, Reprmtend by permission Last Days,, then it's about as striking a con but you could tell the Baxters amid the of St. Martin's Press Incorporated. fession as you're ever likely to get of how chaos by their lack of concern with the upset they are that life isn't working out excitement, pointing languidly toward die the way they thought it would." hubbub when the two paramedics and their 1 was in heaven! How could I not be, trolley (a familiar sight in Palm Springs) after finding someone who likes to talk like arrived. There, diey loaded Mr. Baxter diis? So we continued on in this vein for an onto the trolley, after having told a novice hour, maybe, interrupted only by my serv Mrs. Scott-Baxter to stop trying to stuff VICE VERSA 53 27 PRISON HUMAINE MONIQUE LARUE •S Entrez entrez cria haute de plafond, de bonnes et anciennes ë Dubuc. ' ean-Luc Dubuc ne dimensions, sombre- 2 se soustrayait pas à ment éclairée par un la loi commune, carreau de vitre dépoli mais la nature à la donnant sur le mur des fois implacable et toilettes, Dubuc l'avait Jsecrète de son caractère, au fil des années habil l'extrême habileté avec lée à son image. Il avait laquelle il manipulait peint de nuit, à la faveur l'image, l'intelligence et de la politique permis l'instinct qu'il avait sive qui avait caractérisé toujours su conjuguer l'administration du col comme si, de son statut lège avant le règne de d'intouchable, dépendît Jean-Marie Néron, les le sort de l'humanité, murs de planche en vert l'en avaient au filde s Nouvelle- Angleterrre, années exempté sans il avait tapissé le pla que les autres s'en ren fond avec les posters de dent compte, sans que Rimbaud, d'Edgar Poe, les autres du moins trou de Baudelaire, de vent la force de protest Nelligan, et celui de la er devant les légers tombe de l'infortuné passe-droits qu'il réussis Morrisson au Père- sait à se conquérir, de Lachaise, il avait réussi sorte que ces privilèges, à adapter une jungle de bien que dérisoires en plantes grasses à l'é soi, étaient devenus des clairage des néons et à droits et qu'il se trouvait l'atmosphère désertique maintenant officieuse du collège et y avait ment exempté par le groupe des con hébergé un moment la perruche de traintes que le groupe avait lui-même les années où Garneau avait interrompu Mélodie, délogée uniquement parce que la sécrétées tout ce temps tel le névrosé s'en- son séjour au collège sans se douter qu'il ne petite Sandra, asthmatique, était allergique fermant lui-même dans son cruel cocon. faisait que se préparer à s'y incruster si par aux plumes de perruche, et certainement Ainsi, il n'était pas question pour Dubuc faitement qu'un jour viendrait où il ne pas parce que les fientes les plumes les cris d'obéir au principe de rotation qui obligeait pourrait envisager d'en partir jamais. On inhumains et les raids intempestifs de la bestiole importunaient légèrement ses col chacun à déménager ses pénates après deux n'a qu'une vie. lègues, les amis avec lesquels il partageait ans consécutifs dans le même bureau. Son Tu n'as qu'une vie, se disait-il comme depuis des années le corridor du pro repaire ne figurait pas non plus sur la liste tout un chacun en pénétrant dans la gramme Lettres. L'endroit, qui n'avait pas, des places susceptibles d'être squattées par caverne de Dubuc, écartant le rideau de les amateurs de chaise musicale chez qui comme les bureaux, de numéro, mais était velours écarlate que le dernier des Jésuites l'éternel retour du Même, en mars, alimen identifié par les lettres TGX, constituait avait il y a longtemps donné à Dubuc à tait la fureur de bouger, titillait le fou désir non seulement un fief mais avait au fond titre de chef des enfants de chœur, et qui de mettre en branle la moulinette des les mêmes fonctions sociales que la folie. feutrait ses audiences, camouflait sans critères administrativo-professionnels, d'en Critique affirmée de la minable décoration doute d'autres bruits inavouables — per forcer les délicats rouages comme l'avait privilégiée par l'équipe artistique de Jean- fait Laverdure pour empêcher Vézeau de sonne n'a jamais su ce que mon ex-beau- Marie Néron, le nid du camarade Dubuc prendre la place de Chenail dans le 149. frère fabrique en compagnie de ses était une enclave d'humanité, une œuvre laiderons. La fausse lampe à huile rapportée d'art, la marque personnelle et l'expression du chalet après la mort du père de Dubuc de la position de son locataire face à l'ordre A quelques mètres du bureau 149, le était allumée comme toujours, question académique, la démonstration que l'habitat renfoncement qu'occupait Dubuc avait été d'atmosphère. Pauvre pauvre Garneau. Tu est un mode de l'Etre-là comme disaient ses à l'origine un vestiaire, lequel avait ensuite n'as qu'une vie et c'est ici que tu la passes. amis philosophes, et en fin de compte l'af- servi de rangement de poubelles et abrité Entre ton bureau et le cagibi extravagant une boîte à incinération, disparue pendant de ton ex-beau-frère. Car cette annexe, 28 VICE VERSA 53 firmation de l'antériorité de Dubuc intra Monique Larue a publié muros collegii. Comme tout véritable bas quatre romans: LA COHORTE tion, l'endroit lui valait prestige, renom mée et pouvoir, visites d'étudiants voulant FICTIVE (1979), LES FAUX faire la connaissance du prof de français FUYANTS (1982), COPIES sauté qui offrait naguère de l'herbe à ses CONFORMES (J989) et LA visiteurs, en avait fait le commerce larvé durant les années soft de la courte histoire DÉMARCHE DU CRABE (J996). du système d'éducation et en prônait Elle est également coauteur, avec encore ouvertement la légalisation. Jean-FranÇois Chassay, des Le prof reste quand même la base. Un prof populaire, c'est certain, garde en main PROMENADES LITTÉRAIRES quelques lambeaux de pouvoir dans un col DANS MONTRÉAL (1989). lège se disait Garneau, en accomodant son œil à l'éclairage vacillant dans lequel se plaisait à vivre Pex-conjoint de sa sœur qui se levait pour l'accueillir, moqueusement. ante, fût-elle ex-étudiante, Ah ah ! Ah ah ! Monsieur le coordonnateur ! Dubuc n'avait il y a quelque chose il y a quelque chose jamais refusé la fonction de coordonnateur entre Dubuc et Lortie, nos collèges car on n'avait jamais osé la confier à un croulent sous la loi d'Œdipe. La chipie fix individu aussi alambiqué et retors. Cela ne ait obstinément — plutôt mourir que saluer l'avait pas empêché de prendre sa place un incompétent, le bout de ces bottines de récemment dans le collège, à titre de spé travailleur à lacets rouges dont le port si cialiste d'une école de pédagogie améri gnalait plus ou moins clairement depuis caine sise au Wisconsin et actuellement en déjà deux décennies, chez les élèves des faveur auprès des amis de la nouvelle mi deux sexes, l'engagement politico-social. nistre de l'Education nationale. Comme il Allez savoir avec ces gonzesses qui ne ne portait jamais, sur son éternel pantalon songent qu'à nos queues pensa Garneau, gris à pli permanent, que les amples blous encore outré des fantaisies sexuelles es qu'il achetait en Grèce, dans les souks exprimées par sa filleule dans son carnet d'Afrique du Nord et un peu partout dans d'écriture, un objet tout de même destiné à c'est tout et c'est assez, mais le prof de lit les boutiques ethnologiques de la ville, une évaluation sommative chiffrée, assigné térature française la perd deux fois, trois comme il dédaignait la chemise masculine à valoir 50% des points du cours de créa fois, mille fois. Avec ses cheveux teints, ses normale, le costume et la veste à l'eu tion du programme Lettres menant, au bajoues rubicondes, son œil vif de perro ropéenne, le blouson à l'américaine, pour même titre que tout programme dûment quet patraque, son cou ridé, sa poitrine des burnous, des sahariennes, et même, approuvé, au Diplôme d'Etudes National. parfois, des blouses de paysan, en lin ou en grisonnante et ce rire niais qu'il a depuis vieux coton amidonné, telles qu'on en voit qu'il s'est soumis à ses séances analytiques Dubuc et Fafard, Mélodie et Line, les sur les tableaux du dix-huitième siècle, et et qui devient gênant à la longue, Dubuc quatre s'étaient tus instantanément à son qui dataient du temps où il appartenait à s'est humanisé c'est sûr, il a je ne sais quoi entrée, un silence gêné planait maintenant une équipe de folklore, on ne remarquait d'attendrissant, Dubuc, pauvre hère mon sur le groupe. Survenir, même en s'étant pas trop que Dubuc avait pris du ventre. semblable mon frère, usé à la corde par une annoncé, dans un bureau fermé, causait Dubuc a un je ne sais quoi de pathétique, vie passée à ressasser les poètes maudits toujours un malaise, cette impression d'être constata Garneau en pénétrant dans cette dans un ancien vestibule. Tu deviens de trop de déranger. Comme si j'avais enclave qui sentait toujours un peu la bizarroïde, mon vieux, un inclassable, un interrompu quelque chose, surpris un com pelure des agrumes que son locataire con vrai zombi quoi, un épouvantail à plot un secret pensa-t-il. Mais quoi. Si Faf sommait en quantité. Pour avoir moineaux comme nous tous, comme sait pour Mélodie que fait-il ici. Si Faf sait imprudemment choisi Lettres au lieu de Vézeau, comm fixant des rendez-vous, en ce que Mélodie écrit que fait-il pour clarifi Droit, Médecine, Génie comme mon père, ne s'y présentant pas, en laissant des mes er la situation. Faf a l'âge d'être le grand- comme mes grands-pères et arrière-grands- sages genre Mélodie G.-D. veut vous parler père de Mélodie. Grand-père Œdipe. Gar pères, je suis condamné, se dit-il, à côtoyer chez Poulhazan, ou à Stella Laverdure, en neau, tu n'auras pas la jouissance pleine et toute ma vie la folie. Les départements de se plaignant à elles de ne pas le trouver à entière de ta vie tant que la fille de ta sœur français recrutent par définition des angois son bureau aux heures de disponibilité va traîner sa carcasse dans le collège. sés des névrosés des compliqués des hyper inscrites sur sa porte alors qu'il était de Un boa constrictor héréditaire se sensibles des frustrés et la littérature, notoriété publique que jamais une seule lovait depuis toujours autour de son tube pensa-t-il, c'est évident, Garneau, est à minute de disponibilité n'avait été volée à digestif. Ce boa avait manifesté de manière notre époque plus que jamais une impasse, l'Etat par l'enseignant Garneau, en refu particulièrement désagréable son existence un échec un véritable cul de sac du moins sant de divulguer ses coordonnées de sorte à la mort de Chenail et depuis ce temps il si on la considère comme profession, idem que personne actuellement, ni Dubuc ni était resté tranquille, tenu en respect par le pour l'enseignement. L'enseignement et la Lise ni Claire, ne savait au juste où habitait Chevalier de l'Humour appelé de toute littérature n'ont pas seulement perdu la Mélodie ni de quoi elle vivait. Seul Tobie urgence au secours de l'enseignant Gar bataille, ils sont en dehors de la bataille ! le savait et Tobie ne dirait rien. Et voilà neau. Mais Mélodie avait le don de Nous les profs de littérature sommes enfer qu'elle était là, assise au bureau de son père, réveiller le boa. Et même sous la protection més dans une ligne Maginot imaginaire et écrasée plutôt dans la chaise de rotin de du Chevalier de l'Humour, taquiner le boa nous combattons notre époque ni plus ni Dubuc. Et son ombre, la chipie Line Lortie, était un sport éminemment périlleux. moins que Triste Figure. Le prof de maths, venait d'échanger avec Dubuc un clin L'angoisse est toujours l'anticipation d'un de chimie, de physique perd la bataille en d'œil, un demi-sourire à la limite de ce que danger. Et la dérision, pensa Garneau, n'est tant que professionnel de l'enseignement, l'éthique, pensa Garneau, permet comme intimité entre un professeur et une étudi- que l'homéopathie du désespoir. • VICE VERSA 53 29 THE CINNAMON PEELER MICHAEL ONDAATJE Michael Ondaatje was nine years old when in 1952 he left his birth place, Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to attend Dulwich College in England. In 1971 he joined the faculty ofGlendon College, York University, with which he is still affiliated as a professor. With the publication o/THE COLLECTED WORKS OF BlLLY THE KID ( J 970), the winner of a Governor General's Award, Ondaatje's charactersitic mode of writing (poetry, prose, illustrations and deliberate distortion of facts) From The Cinnamon Peeler by Michael Ondaatje. Used by permission took flight. His most recent novel, of McClelland & Stewart Inc., Toronto, The Canadian Publishers. THE ENGLISH PATIENT (1992) won, among other prizes, the THE CINNAMON PEELER Booker Prize. If I were a cinnamon peeler When we swam once I would ride your bed I touched you in water and leave die yellow bark dust and our bodies remained free, on your pillow. you could hold me and be blind of smell. You climbed the bank and said Your breasts and shoulders would reek you could never walk dirough markets this is how you touch other women without the profession of my fingers the grass cutter's wife, the lime burner's floating over you. The blind would daughter. stumble certain of whom they approached And you searched your arms A HOUSE DIVIDED tliough you might bathe for the missing perfume under rain gutters, monsoon. and knew This midnight breathing Here on the upper thigh heaves with no sensible rhythm, at this smooth pasture what good is it is fashioned by no metronome. neighbour to your hair to be the lime burner's daughter Your body, eager or the crease left with no trace for the extra yard of bed, that cuts your back. This ankle. as if not spoken to in the act of love reconnoitres and outflanks; You will be known among strangers as if wounded without the pleasure of a I bend in peculiar angles. as the cinnamon peeler's wife. scar. This nightly battle is fought 1 could hardly glance at you You touched with subtleties: before marriage your belly to my hands you get pregnant, I'm sure, never touch you in the dry air and said just for extra ground — your keen nosed modier, your rough I am the cinnamon — immune from kicks now. brodiers. peeler's wife. Smell me. I buried my hands Inside you now's another, in saffron, disguised them thrashing like a fish, over smoking tar, swinging, fighting helped the honey gatiierers ... for its inch already. 30 VICE VERSA 53 HERON REX WHITE DWARFS Mad kings This is for people who disappear The Gurkhas in Malaya blood lines introverted, strained pure for those who descend into the code cut the tongues of mules so the brain runs in the wrong direction and make their room a fridge for so they were silent beasts of burden Superman in enemy territories they are proud of their heritage of suicides — who exhaust costume and bones that after such cruelty what could they speak — not just the ones who went mad could perform flight, of anyway balancing on that goddamn leg, but those who shave their moral so raw And Dashiell Hammett in success they can tear themselves through the eye whose eyes turned off of a needle suffered conversation and moved the sun and imagined it this is for those people to the perfect white between the words those who looked north, those who that hover and hover forced their feathers to grow in and die in the ether peripheries This white that can grow those who couldn't find the muscles in is fridge, bed, their arms There is my fear is an egg — most beautiful who drilled their beaks into the skin of no words of when unbroken, where those who could speak falling without words what we cannot see is growing and lost themselves in the foul connec over and over of in all the colours we cannot see tions mouthing the silence who crashed against black bars in a dream Why do I love most there are those burned out stars of escape among my heroes those who implode into silence those who moved round the dials of imag who sail to that perfect edge after parading in the sky inary clocks where there is no social fuel after such choreography what would they those who fell asleep and never woke Release of sandbags wish to speak of anyway who never slept and so dropped dead to understand their altitude — those who attacked the casual eyes of children and were led away that silence of the third cross and those who faced corners for ever 3rd man hung so high and those who exposed themselves and were lonely led away we don't hear him say those who pretended broken limbs, say his pain, say his epilepsy, unbrotherhood who managed to electrocute themselves What has he to do with on wire the smell of ladies, those who felt their skin was on fire and can they eat off screamed his skeleton of pain? and were led away There are ways of going physically mad, physically Marie-Hélène Parant mad when you perfect the mind where you sacrifice yourself for the race when you are the representative when you allow yourself to be paraded in the cages celebrity a razor in the body These small birds so precise frail as morning neon • - they are royalty melted down they are the glass core at the heart of kings yet 15-year-old boys could enter the cage - . and break them in minutes as easily as a long fingernail % N • • * VICE VERSA 53 31 late June Ontario summer day. What else sold to false composers for ready cash and IN A YELLOW ROOM of importance happened on May 8th, only later 1935? admitting they had written "Sunny side of the street' and 'I can't give you anything There was another reason for Fats Waller The only creature I've ever met who dis but love' and so many of the best songs of to record, on May 8th, 1935, 'I'm gonna sit liked him was a nervous foxhound I had for their time. The hidden authors on their right down and write myself a letter.' It is three years. As soon as I put on Mr Waller two hour taxi ride out of Harlem to for this moment, driving from Goderich the dog would dart from the room and hide Brooklyn and back again to Harlem, the towards and past Blyth, avoiding Blyth by under a bed. The dog recognized the anar night heat and smells yells overhead from taking the gravel concessions, four adults chy, the unfolding of musical order, the the streets they passed through which they and a child, who have just swum in a very growls and muttering, the fact that Fats incorporated into what they were making cold Lake Huron. His piano drips from the Waller was talking to someone over your every texture entering this large man, a cassette player and we all recognize the shoulder as well as to you. What my dog classical organist in his youth, who strode piece but are mute. We cannot sing before did not notice was the serenity he should into most experiences, hid from his ex-wife he does, before he eases himself into die have learned from. The notes as fresh as Edith Hatchett, visiting two kinds of lyrics as if into a chair, this large man who creek washed clothes. women, 'ladies who had pianos and ladies is to die in 1943 sitting in a train in Kansas who did not,' and died of bronchial pneu City, finally still. monia on the Acheson-Topeka and Santa The windows are open as we drive under Fe, a song he did not write. dark maples that sniff up a rumour of Lake He was already moving, grand on die street Huron. The piano energizes the hay bound or die midnight taxi rides widi Andy Razaf into wheels, a white field of turkeys, vari He and the orchestra of his voice have now during which it is rumoured he wrote most ous tributaries of the Maitland River. Does entered the car with us. This is his first visit of his songs. I have always loved him but I he, drunk, and carrying his tin of tomatoes to the country, though he saw it from a love him most in the company of friends. — 'it feeds die body and cuts the hangover' train window the day before he died. Saw Because his body was a crowd and we desire — does he, in the midnight taxi with the heartland where the music could disap to imitate such community. His voice stag Razaf, imagine where the music disappears? pear, the diaspora of notes, a rewinding, a gers or is gentle behind a whimsical piano, backward movement of the formation of die melody ornamental and cool as vichys- Where it will recur? Music and lyrics they the world, the invention of his waltz. • soise in that hot studio in this hot car on a wrote then JUST PUBLISHED Inside tire Statues of Saints e Statues Mexican Writers on Culture and Corruption, Politics and Daily Life George Szanto From the perspective of a North American who knows Mexico intimately, George Szanto spoke with Mexican fiction writers. In telling their stories they disclose a civilization, a hidden Mexico beyond its sunny beaches and steep pyramids. Elena Poniatowska • Margo Glantz Paco IgnaciaTaibo II • JuanVilloro Ricardo Perera • Maria Luisa Puga Carlos Fuentes ISBN: 1-55065-074-2 $16.95 Véhicule Press P.O.B. 125, PLACE DU PARC, MONTREAL. CANADA H2W 2M9 http://www.cam.org/~vpress 32 VICE VERSA 53 woman worn i THOMAS KING H, OH," says Coyote, "I "My favorite month is April," says u don't want to watch. Coyote. Changing Woman is stuck "That's nice," I says. on the island by herself. Is "I also like July," says Coyote. thaGt the end o f the story?" "We can't hear what's happening if "Goodness, no," I says. "This story is you keep talking," I says. just beginning. We're just getting started." "I don't care much for November," Changing woman is on that beautiful says Coyote. island by herself for a long time. "Forget November," I says. "Pay So. attention." One day she is watching the ocean Pay attention, says Ahab. Keep and she sees a ship. That ship sails right to watching for whales. where Changing Woman is standing. Why does he want a whale? says Hello, shouts a voice. Have you seen Changing Woman. a white whale? This is a whaling ship, says Ishmael. There was a white canoe here a while Whaleswhaleswhaleswhalesbianswhal ago, Changing Woman shouts back. esbianswhaleswhales! Canoe? shouts the voice. Say, are you shouts Ahab, and everybody grabs an able-bodied seaman? their spears and knives and juicers and Not exactly, says Changing Woman. chain saws and blenders and axes and Close enough, says the voice. Come they all leap into little wooden boats and aboard. chase whales. Okay, says Changing Woman. And And. the one swims out to the ship. When they catch the whales. I'm Ahab, says a short little man with They kill them. a wooden leg, and this is my ship the This is crazy, says Changing Woman. The son of a mother of Greek and Pequod. Why are you killing all these whales? German origins, and a Cherokee father, Here says a nice-looking man with a Oil. Perfume, too. There's a big mar grim mouth, and he hands Changing ket in dog food, says Ahab. This is a King was bom in Oklahoma, but doesn't Woman a towel. What's your name? Christian world, you know. We only kill- think of Oklahoma as home...it's the Changing Woman, says Changing things that are useful or things we don't Alberta prairies where he spent ten years Woman. like. with the Blackfoot people. Call me Ishmael, says the young man. King was professor of Native Studies at What's your favorite month? "He doesn't mean Coyotes?" says the University ofLethbridge, Alberta, for They're all fine, says Changing Coyote. Woman. "I suspect that he does," I says. ten years, where he had an enormous Oh dear, says die young man, looking "But Coyotes are very useful," says impact on young Native writers. through a book. Let's try again. What's Coyote. King's first book was the novel your name? "Maybe you should explain that to MEDICINE RIVER (1990). It was fol him," I says. Changing Woman. lowed by a children's book, A COYOTE That just won't do either, says the "Just around the eyes," says Coyote, COLUMBUS STORY (J992), which won young man, and he quickly thumbs "he looks like that GOD guy." through the book again. Here, he says, We're looking for the white whale, him his first Governor General's Award poking a page with his finger. Queequeg. Ahab tells his men. Keep looking. nomination. His second nomination came I'll call you Queequeg. This book has a So Ahab's men look at the ocean and with the publication of his second novel, Queequeg in it, and this story is supposed they see something and that something is GREEN GRASS, RUNNING WATER to have a Queequeg in it, but I've looked a whale. (1993). His short stories have been col- all over the ship and there aren't any Blackwhaleblackwhaleblackwhalesbia lected in ONE GOOD STORY, Queequegs. I hope you don't mind. nblackwhalesbianblackwhale, they all Ishmael is a nice name, says shout. THAT ONE (1993). Changing Woman. Black whale? yells Ahab. You mean But we already have an Ishmael, says white whale, don't you? Moby-Dick, the Green Grass, Running Water, Ishmael. And we do so need a Queequeg. great male white whale? copyright © 1993 by Thomas King. Published Oh, okay, says Changing Woman. in Canada by HarperCollins Publisher Ltd. VICE VERSA 53 33 That's not a white whale, says Chang This could be a problem, says Ahab. ing Woman. That's a female whale and That is a very beautiful whale, says ************ she's black. Changing Woman, but 1 don't think she Nonsense, says Ahab. It's Moby-Dick, looks very happy. "Look," says Coyote, "I haven't much the great white whale. Happy, happy, there you go again, time. The old Indians need my help." You're mistaken, says Changing says Ahab. Grab that harpoon and make "I thought maybe you would like to Woman, 1 believe that is Moby-Jane, the yourself useful. tell this story," I says. Great Black Whale. But Changing Woman walks to the "But if you're too busy, I guess I can "She means Moby-Dick," says side of the ship and dives into the water. do it myself." Coyote. "1 read the book. It's Moby-Dick, Hello, says Changing Woman. It's a "No, no," says Coyote. "I want to do the great white whale who destroys the good day for a swim. that. I'll just tell it fast." Pequod." Yes, it is, says Moby-Jane. If you'll "Okay," 1 says. "Just get it right." "You haven't been reading your histo excuse me, I have a little matter to take "Okay," says Coyote. "Where were ry," I tell Coyote. "It's English colonists care of and then I'll be back. we?" who destroy the Pequots." And Moby-Jane swims over to the "Well," I says, "Old Woman just fell "But there isn't any Moby-Jane." ship and punches a large hole in its bot through that hole into the sky and then "Sure there is," I says. "Just look out tom. she fell into -" over there. What do you see?" There, says Moby-Jane. That should "I know, I know," says Coyote. "A "WelL.HI be," says Coyote. take care of that. whale!' * * That was very clever of you, says "We already had a whale," I says. It's Moby-Dick, Ahab tells his crew, Changing Woman as she watches the ship "A fiery furnace!" says Coyote. the great white whale. sink. What happens to Ahab? "No," I says. "Not that either." Begging your pardon, says one of the We do this every year, says Moby- "A manger!" says Coyote. crew. But isn't that whale black? Jane. He'll be back. He always comes "Nope," I says. "Old Woman doesn't back. fall into a manger." "Give me a hint," says Coyote. "Old woman falls into the water," I says. "The water?" says Coyote. "That's it?" "That's it," I says. "Okay, okay," says Coyote. "Old Woman falls through the hole, falls through the sky, and falls into the water." "That's right," I says. "Great," says Coyote. "What happens next?" "Well," I says, "Old Woman falls into that water. So she is in that water. So she looks around and she sees -" "I know, I know," says Coyote. "She sees a golden calf!" "Wrong again," I says. "A pillar of salt!" says Coyote. "Nope," I says to Coyote. "A burning bush!" says Coyote. "Where do you get these things?" I says. "I read a book," says Coyote. Throw that man overboard, says How curious, says Changing Woman. "Forget the book," I says. "We've got Ahab. Where are you going? says Moby- a story to tell. And here's how it goes." Begging your pardon again, says Jane. another one of the crew. Someplace warm, I think, says So Old Woman is floating in the But isn't that whale female? Changing Woman. water. And she looks around. And she Throw that man overboard, too, says Come on, says Moby-Jane. I know sees a man. Young man. A young man Ahab. just the place. walking on water. "Look out! Look out!" Shouts Hello, says Old Woman. Nice day for Coyote. "It's Moby-Jane, the Great Black "I know the place she is talking a walk. Whale. Run for your lives." about," says Coyote. "Italy." Yes, it is, says Young Man Walking "That wasn't very nice," I says. "Now "No," I says, "that's not the place." On Water. I am looking for a fishing boat. look what you've done." "Hawaii.7" says Coyote. 1 just got here, says Old Woman. But "Hee-hee, hee-hee," says Coyote. "Wrong again," I says. I'll help you look. Moby-Jane! the crew yells. The Great "Tahiti? Australia? The south of That's very kind of you, says Young Black Whale! France? Prince Edward Island?" says Man Walking On Water. But I'd rather do Throw everybody overboard, shouts Coyote. it myself. Ahab. "Not even close," I says. Oh, look, says Old Woman. Is that Call me Ishmael, says Ishmael, and all "Hmmmm," says Coyote. "How disap the boat you're looking for over there? the crew jumps into the boats and rows pointing." Not if you saw it first, says Young away. Man Walking On Water. 34 VICE VERSA 53 Deputies? says Old Woman. Subalterns? Proofreaders? And they will love me and follow me around. "That's a really good trick," says Coyote. "Yes," I says. "No wonder this world is Say, did I tell you about a mess." our Christian rules? So there is a boat. A small boat. And "Maybe the...ah...would follow me," It's a simple song, says Old Woman. there are a bunch of men in that boat. A says Coyote. And Old Woman sings her song. big bunch. And that boat is rocking back "Now that's a really scary thought," I Boy, says those Waves, that is one and forth. And those waves are getting says. beautiful song. We feel real relaxed. higher. So Young Man Walking On Water Yet, says that Boat, it sure is. Maybe Rock, rock, rock, rock, says that Boat. walks on the water to that Boat. With I'll take a nap. Whee, says those Waves. We are get those men. So that Boat stops rocking, and ting higher. Help us! Help us! says those men. those Waves stop rising higher and high Help us! Help us! shout those men. And Young Man Walking On Water er, and everything calms down. Pardon me, says Young Man Walking raises his arms and that one looks at those Hooray, says those men. We are On Water. But 1 have to rescue my ... res Waves and that one says, Calm down! saved. cue my ... ah... Stop rocking! He says that to the Hooray, says Young Man Walking Factotums? says Old Woman. Civil Boat. Stop rocking! On Water. I have saved you. servants? Stockholders? But those Waves keep getting higher, Actually, says those men, that other You must be new around here, says and that Boat keeps rocking. person saved us. Young Man Walking On Water. You don't Help us! says those men. Help us! Nonsense, says Young Man Walking seem to know the rules. Whee, says those happy waves. On Water. That other person is a What rules? says Old Woman. Rock, rock, rock, rock, says that Boat. woman. That other person sings songs to "1 know, I know," says Coyote. "Young Calm down! Stop rocking! Calm waves. Man Walking On Water is talking about down! Stop rocking, says Young Man That's me, says Old Woman. Christian rules." Walking On Water. A woman? says those men. Sings "Yes," I says, "that's true." But that doesn't happen, and those songs to waves? They says that, too. "Hooray," says Coyote. "I love men on that Boat begin to throw up. That's me, says Old Woman. That's Christian rules." Yuck, says that Boat. Now look what me. Christian rules, says Young Man happened. By golly, says those men. Young Walking On Water. And the first rule is Well. Old Woman watches Young Man Walking On Water must have that no one can help me. The second rule Man Walking On Water. She watches him saved us after all. We better follow him is that no one can tell me anything. stomp his feet. She watches him yell at around. Third, no one is allowed to be in two those Waves. She watches him shout at Suit yourself, says Old Woman. And places at once. Except me. that Boat. So, she feels sorry for him. that one floats away. I was just floating through, says Old Pardon me, she says. Would you like some "Not again," says Coyote. Woman. help? "You bet," 1 says. But you can watch, says Young Man There you go again, says Young Man "Hmmmm," says Coyote. "All this Walking On Water. Walking On Water. Trying to tell me what floating imagery must mean something." There's no rule against that. to do. "That's the way it happens in oral Wee, says Old Woman, that's a relief. Well, says Old Woman, someone has stories," I says. So that you're not confused, says to. You are acting as though you have no "Hmmmm," says Coyote. "All this Young Man Walking On Water, 1 am now relations. You shouldn't yell at those water imagery must mean something." • going to walk across the water to that ves happy Waves. You shouldn't shout at that sel. I am going to calm the seas and stop jolly Boat. You got to sing a song. all the agitation. After that, 1 will rescue Sing a song to waves? says Young Man my... my...ah... Walking On Water. Sing songs to boats? VICE VERSA 53 35 9aûa s Wat/ cloîtrée ANNE-MARIE ALONZO alia n'avait vu per pays touffus où les jungles hanches s'essoufflaient, le sonne depuis des cachaient des pièces d'eau, plaisir lui chatouillait les cuiss milliers d'heures, Jeanne cherchait leçon de es puis entrait en elle comme si elle s'était cloîtrée vivre et leçon d'âme, VU find a les mains de Jeanne la péné Gsous sa tente remplissant des teacher disait-elle et Galia traient, Galia gémissait, Jeanne cahier et des cahiers d'écriture, entendait la voix de Jeanne ralentissait, reprenait encore, elle avait écrit, avait lu et relu, dire encore, I am so happy, I can les mains de Jeanne connais elle avait raturé, recommencé, feel it, I will fly, Jeanne disait saient le corps de Galia, elles le effacé, laissé tomber, elle avait cela le croyant, elle volerait conduisaient lentement, écou repris, refait des phrases, des chantant les noms des pays de taient, comprenaient, racon pages, des chapitres complets. rêves, Perù, Venezuela, Argen taient des contes de fées aux tina, Mexico, Jeanne épelait côtes de Galia, les mains de Galia se dit alors: je ne M E X I C O en souriant, I'll go Jeanne voyageaient et Galia sais pas écrire dans la douleur there, 1 will. voyageait, courait, galopait, mais écrit-on jamais autre suivait les mains de Jeanne, le ment ? Galia avait reçu Jeanne souffle de Jeanne, voulait Galia savait que Jeanne, dans sa tente, elles y resteraient garder les mains de Jeanne en son amie de l'autre rive, ensemble, enlacées, parlant de elle, sur elle, Galia souriait, écrivait toujours ainsi, laissant nuit et de jour, se lisant leurs Jeanne souriait, les mains de sur le papier, sa peau, ses yeux, écrits, buvant du vin, et de l'al Jeanne souriaient sur le dos de ses larmes y laissant ses doigts cool blanc, mangeant des mets Galia. et ses ongles, y laissant tran épicés que Jeanne préparait, quillement sa vie entière, magiamo un poco, o fame, Galia sentait son corps Jeanne jurait de ne plus jamais Jeanne avait toujours faim, elle renaître, le cou, la nuque, le écrire, le jurait pour des siècle mangeait avec joie, elle man dos, les bras de Galia se déli et des siècles, le jurait la main geait, buvait, riait, Jeanne aient, se détendaient, ses mains droite sur Le Livre, Jeanne taquinait Galia puis l'emme s'ouvraient sur le monde, cela Photo : Véro Boncompagni avait écrit deux livres que nait marcher dans les dunes, faisait tant de jours que Galia l'avaient engloutie, the book l'obligeait à sortir au soleil, l'é- vivait courbée à écrire, tant de that ate me, Jeanne parlait ainsi tendait sur le sable, s'étendait jours que son corps flétrissait, Née en Alexandrie en de ses livres, Jeanne l'amie près d'elle, lui faisait de longs se refusait à vivre, retenait son 1951 vit depuis 1963 à vivait au loin dans une ville massages de dos, de rein, de souffle, ne froissait pas les Montréal. Cofondatrice large et froide, une ville que cuisses, de hanches. feuilles, ne séchait pas l'encre, Jeanne l'amie Jeanne n'aimait ne coupait pas le fil, mais il n'y de la revue et des éditions Galia aimait les massages plus, une ville disait-elle où sa avait pas d'histoires à son his de Jeanne, elle se laissait en TROIS, elle est aussi langue se desséchait où sa toire, Galia écrivait aveugle, duire d'huiles d'amandes dou membre de la rédaction langue italienne n'avait de lieu alignait les mots, se disait: ce, de parfums de mandarines où s'étendre et prendre place. j'écris. de la revue ESTUAIRE. et d'épices, de crèmes de til Galia écoutait l'amie par leul, Jeanne allumait des tiges Galia insista pour que Son recueil de poèmes ler de ses livres, de ses mains d'encens et des feuilles de papi Jeanne l'amie prolonge son BLEUS DE MINE a frottant les pages de ses livres er d'Arménie, Jeanne massait séjour, Galia dit: tu partiras, obtenu le Prix Emile comme elle avait frotté les par bien, elle massait longuement, tes voyages te mèneront loin, quets des maisons où elle avait sans se fatiguer, ses bras étaient je ne te verrai pas pendant Nelliganenl985. travaillé, lavant, frottant, musclés, ses mains solides. longtemps, reste ! Jeanne cirant, Jeanne regardait ses Galia soupirait, les mains l'amie sourit, rien ne pressait mains bleues, Jeanne avait de Jeanne la soulevaient, elle avait envie de rester, les cessé d'écrire comme elle avait entraient en elle pour la rete heures étaient douces entre cessé de laver les parquets des nir, épousaient son corps pour elles, il leur arrivait de ne pas dames de société, elle avait s'entendre, les langues se le faire danser, les mains de quitté la ville large et froide, traduisaient mal, les cultures Jeanne prenaient Galia, la lais partait vers l'autres lieux, des différaient, l'une vivait en saient la reprenaient la lais lacs de l'ouest, des montagnes ville, l'autre en désert, l'une saient à nouveau, Galia sem qu'elle savait rocheuses, des vivait, ne voulait que vivre, blait naviguer en haute mer, ses 36 VICE VERSA 53 s'acharnait à trouver la vie belle, l'autre lava le visage et les bras, enfila des mourait, appelait la mort, lui disait : viens, bracelets, une robe fraîche, des sandales, aime-moi, choisis-moi avant toute autre, Jeanne l'amie se faisait belle, c'était soir de ne me laisse pas trop vivre, je ne le sup fête, elle avait envie de boire et manger, porterais pas. elle avait envie de rire. Galia et son amie ne s'entendaient pas Galia regarda la table mise, les plats ait: I understand, ne demandait d'explica sur tout, Jeanne insistait : I need life, Galia colorés, les vins, les alcools et les dessert, tion ni d'excuse, levait son verre la regar disait : je veux, j'attends la mort, la décision elle vit qu'elle avait oublié les fruits, courut dant, Galia levait aussi son verre, buvait du de l'autre attristait l'une, elles se prenaient les chercher, les disposa au centre pour vin et de l'alcool blanc, offrait à Jeanne alors dans les bras, elles s'embrassaient les qu'elles puissent se rafraîchir entre les mets, l'amie une tranche de mangue, une grappe joues, le cou, les mains, elles se disaient des regarda l'amie, la trouva élégante, se sentit de raisins, continuait de parler, il y avait mots de tendresse avant de se coucher, elle aussi en humeur de fêter et souhaita à encore tout un livre à dire, elle le dirait. se couchaient pour dormir, ne s'endor l'amie une heureuse nouvelle années en Galia voyait cet arbre, le voyait bien, maient qu'à l'aube, Jeanne l'amie tombant l'embrassant. elle se disait: c'est un mirage comme on de sommeil, s'endormant au milieu d'une Galia raconta à l'amie comment, dit: c'est une blague ! elle voyait cet arbre, phrase, la continuant au réveil sans savoir depuis des mois, son esprit la quittait, elle le voyait s'assombrir de feuilles, le sentait qu'elle avait dormi. voyait ce qui n'existait pas, imaginait, elle charnu, ample, le voyait de près et de loin, Galia regardait Jeanne son amie dor pourrait le jurer, des contes d'horreur, ne se reculait pour l'observer, se disait : cet arbre mir sans fermer l'œil. rendait pas bien compte de ce qui lui bouge ! en surprise. Galia prépara une petite fête pour l'ar arrivait — les arbres poussaient — il n'y Galia se frottait les yeux, devait-elle se rivé de l'an neuf, elle sortit des gobelets avait jamais d'arbres au désert, ni arbre, ni pincer pour y croire ? l'arbre changeait de d'argent que lui avait laissé en partant son plante, ni fleur, sa main ne touchait que des lieu, entrait ses racines dans le sable, soule amour aux yeux de barque, déboucha le grains de sable depuis si longtemps, sa main vait les dunes, les déplaçait, s'installait vin, ouvrit la bouteille d'alcool blanc, brûlait tant le sable était chaud, mais, dit- pendant que Galia le suivait, se cachait, se servit des œufs de cailles et œufs de lompe, elle à Jeanne l'amie : le sable brûlait moins, couchait de peur que l'arbre ne la voie, puis fit du riz aux lentilles, trancha des oignons, elle se penchait, touchait le sable, y posait elle se relevait, l'arbre avait bougé à nou une tomate et du concombre, ouvrit un sac la main, la sentait glacée, se disait: j'ai veau, poussait et poussait, devenait géant à d'olives noires, du fromage de chèvre et du froid ! pour se rassurer, se croyait malade, ses yeux. peut-être l'était-elle, Galia ne mangeait fromage à l'aneth, elle fit une salade de per Galia crut le voir l'écraser, elle eut plus, ne s'en souciait pas, pourquoi boire ou sil et citron, pila des pois chiche, mélangea peur et peur pour mille, ouvrit la bouche manger, elle ajoutait à Jeanne l'amie : une salade d'aubergine avec de l'huile de pour crier et dire : non ! sésame, fit de petits desserts de pâte feuil pourquoi vivre ? Galia se réveilla, elle n'avait que dix letée et de pistaches puis mit une table Galia marchait. minutes volées au temps de jour, il y avait entre les dunes. Galia marchait depuis plus de trois si longtemps depuis son départ, l'âne même Galia alluma trois chandelles. lunes, elle avait traversé trois Etats, s'était dormait, épuisé, elle tenta de le réveiller, le Galia appela alors Jeanne son amie qui assise une fois par jour de marche, une fois poussa, lui dit : hue ! lève-toi, il nous faut s'était endormie sous la tente, Galia dut par nuit, ne restait que douze minutes partir et partir, l'âne ouvrait un œil, le appeler trois fois tant l'amie dormait pro assise, les comptait en secondes pour refermait, l'ouvrait alors qu'elle hurlait à fondément, elle appela dans sa langue, puis allonger, ne trouvait pas le temps long, ses oreilles, il se mit en route, il alla au pas, en anglais et en italien, l'amie dormait, Galia n'avait pourtant pas dormi, s'était puis au trot, vite, vite, lui criait-elle, il y a Galia entra sous la tente, s'étendit près de enveloppée de châles, s'était souvent habil du retard. l'amie, lui caressa le visage, les tempes où se lée, déshabillée, la route était longue et Galia se levait, allait chercher une chamaillaient quelques cheveux blonds, le loin son amour à abattre. autre bouteille, le vin avait été bu, Jeanne nez et les lèvres, c'est en posant ses lèvres à Galia parlait à Jeanne l'amie pendant l'ami souriait, le repas était bon, l'air doux la base de cou que Jeanne s'éveilla lente ce repas de fête, elle répétait : mon amour à d'une nuit de juillet, leurs paroles emplis ment, elle sourit d'être si fatiguée, sourit de abattre, le répétait tristement, à regret, saient les dunes, faisaient écho, elles sourire, sourit sans raison, demanda : when Galia se sentait nostalgique des yeux de étaient seules, bien d'être ainsi seules do vie eat I let's have a drink, VU serve, Jeanne barque, disait: mon amour est morte, ensemble. • se leva d'un bond, elle emplit la cuve, se Jeanne l'écoutait, lui touchait la joue, dis VICE VERSA 53 37 JANICE KULYK-KEEFER From Transfigurations, Charlottetown, Ragweed Press, 1987 mistake, an irretrievable error. ing faces and names and memories of how beachball belly under a dotted-swiss tent From the moment Louise they'd all looked seventeen years ago, at dress: pale mauve, with tiny satin bows cas walked inside the door she high school dances and assemblies. cading from chin to hem. "Well, Simone, knew. Splutters and sniggers How could she even respond to their that's west-coast fashion for you — bizarre, Afrom the living room: a sugary cloud of cries of "Louisette"? She'd been Louise for right?" Louise sat down again, cursing her scent, and, visible from the archway sepa all those seventeen years at university and self for having spoken in standard French, rating Tante Roselle's kitchen from her law school, in practice in Toronto and then for findind it impossible to switch back to parlour, the chair. A wooden rocker paint Vancouver. "I am a lawyer," she reminded acadien. At the office she handled all of ed powder-blue, padded with kleenex-roses herself as Ginette asked her to stand up their French clients using the accent she'd and ribbon-bows hoarded from Christmas, again and show off her outfit, "a lawyer, not picked up during her years in Paris. And birthday, wedding presents. Waiting expec a housewife with five kids between the ages with David she spoke English — as she had tantly, almost rocking itself in anticipation of six and sixteen: Ginette could very well with the mother and brothers most of this under the crepe-paper streamers someone be a grandmother by now." "That's some — visit, as if it were the least awkward, the had suspended from a hook in the ceiling. different," called safest form of discourse between them, one And then, from all corners of the suddenly out Simone: in which reproaches, accusations, irritation illuminated parlour: "Surprise, surprise! she was couldn't be accommodated. Polite, they'd Didn't you guess? Why didn't you bring all been so polite it had been like staying in pregnant your hubby, Louisette? — the guys are all a hotel instead of what had once been her too, but over at Delphis' place, watching the play home. hiding offs — your mom should of sent him along. h e r Eh, Nicole it worked, eh? She didn't sus Her mother had said they were going pect a thing? Who's got the ladle for the out to pay a call on Tante Roselle, and so punch? Come on Louisette, there's only she hadn't dressed for a party, this kind of one place for you to sit and that's right party. Brilliant yellow cotton sweatshirt, here, on the throne. Look, we've already emerald green pants — she looked like an staned your hat." overblown daffodil. "Yes, I'm excited — it's hard to believe I'm finally having a baby." In And they had. A paper plate with rib Vancouver tulips and daffodils were bons — one pale pink, the other baby-blue already past their best, petals crumpled — stapled to either side. She hadn't like brown paper bags, green leaves noticed the plastic laundry basket, also bleached and sere at the tips. larded with ribbons and bows, brimming "We're very happy, thank you." with packages wrapped in paper bearing Against Tante Roselle's window sleet the bleached-out icons of fertility: storks vied with snow: the last storm of the sea with baby-burdened diapers hanging from son, everyone was assuring her. Still, the impossibly slender beaks, roses with baby- Photo : Ruth Kaplan chimneys would be smoking until June — faces where stamens and pistils should be, even the dandelions wouldn't hazard teddy bears, rattles, watering cans .... bloom until well past May. How long had it Louise stood awkwardly before the rocker, Bom in Toronto, Kulyk-Keefer taken her to elect west coast weather as a peering down into the basket and search launched her career with WHITE norm? "No, unfortunately he couldn't get ing the wrappings for some less genteel OF THE LESSER ANGELS away — in the summer, maybe." Eight years symbol to connect this pastel extravaganza they'd been there now. Five years since her with the present state of her mind and ( 1986). Her stories, about expa last visit home — her father's funeral, belly: egg and sperm patterns instead of triate Canadians in Europe and where she must have seen all these women raggedy Anns and Andys. Someone hand Europeans living in Canada, crowded now into her great-aunt's parlour; ed her a glass of punch (pink, of course, seen but noticed them no more than she and full of maraschino cherries which bom reflect the critical distance she had the gulls ganging on the wharves, the barded her lips as she took a sip) while her believes a writer ought to keep from orange nets and plastic bottles washed up mother took her coat and disappeared into her background. A Professor of along the shore. "I'm really not that hungry the kitchen. All the seats were taken — — of course, it looks delicious but — you she had no choice but to sink down into English at the University of know what the doctors say — you shouldn't the ribboned rocker and smile at everyone Guelph, Ontario, since 1990, her gain more that — all right, just a tiny piece." assembled round her: smile and take up most recent book is her novel, mental knitting needles, furiously connect REST HARROW (1992). Wanda moved on with the tray, leav ing Louise's plastic plate heaped with egg 38 VICE VERSA 53 salad and cream cheese sandwiches, Rice Krispie squares — the kind she hadn't set eyes on since she'd given up reading the backs of cereal packages — little marsh- mallows of various carcinogenic shades cemented to graham crackers, Nanaimo bars capsizing in the heat of the over crowded parlour. Louise had already hid den her glass of punch, full except to that first cherry-laden sip, behind the laundry basket. Now she picked up the smallest of the sandwiches and was cautiously sliding the heaped plate under the rocker just as everyone burst into applause. For her mother, who'd just come into the room flourishing a twenty-sixer of Gordon's Gin. "Way ta go, Nicole — after all this is a party!" Nicole held her finger up to her lips: Tante Roselle — a teetotaller from the age of sixteen — had gone off to her bed room in search of photo albums. Nicole moved with astonishing deftness for a woman her age ad size — bounding over to the punch bowl, pouring the entire bottle into the sea of expiring ginger ale and bleached out cherries. Then she threw the empty Gordon's bottle into a huge garbage bag hidden under one of the drawn cur tains — for the wrapping paper Louise would tear off the baby presents, once the eating and drinking had been done. Everyone was crowding round the punch bowl, refilling glasses. By the time Tante Roselle came back with an enormous album boasting a photo of every baby bom to the entire Cormier clan, the whole char acter of the party had changed. Nobody making conversation about the weather or asking Louisette about her due dates, how many ultra-sounds she'd had, how long her bouts of mourning sickness had lasted. Tante Roselle was deaf: as long as the women took turns scanning photographs, Shit, he knows the doctor said I can't take "Put your sweet lips/A little closer to the nodding their heads at her unravelling of them no more, 'cause of my high blood phone." knotty genealogical tables, the old woman pressure — " Someone had started up the record was satisfied. Around her, behind her, the "She said she was comin'. They used to player. Tante Roselle's head was nodding •H talk was turning from consommé to a rich be best friends, remember that summer — her hair, which she still dyed jet black, 2 spicy chowder as the gin quickened the Jeanne and her hitched a ride all the way was fine as a baby's and the scalp glowed woman's tongues: to Truro and Delbert went after them with rosily underneath. "She must be eighty- "She walked out on him after fifteen his truck, even though the muffler was shot nine at least," thought Louise, getting up years. Fifteen years, then back to her moth all to hell — they said you could hear him from the loveseat as gently as her seven- er's house. About time, too — all he ever clear across the Bay of Fundy and up months' bulk would permit, propping a pil did was waggle his cock at her. Twelve kids Northumberland Strait." low under her great-aunt's head and turn — He used to — broad daylight — once Louise jerked her head up from Tante ing down the lamp. Tante Roselle had lost the priest was making a call and he found Roselle's album — she'd used it as an her fiancé in the first war — she'd never them doin' it right on the dining table -" excuse to get out of the sacrificial chair and married, but had gone to teacher's college; she could have become principal of the "Why is a woman like a piece of meat? onto the less conspicuous loveseat. They high school at Meteghan, if they'd allowed Because the more she's beaten, the tender were talking about Jeanne, they were say women to ascend to those dubious heights. er she gets." ing something about Jeanne Arsenault, Instead she'd taught geography (though "- not so bad for a guy his age. Don't and the sound of that name was like the she'd never set foot outside her native you think so, Rita? But I'm telling you, my first time the baby had moved inside her — province) and done career-councelling. It Chariot — he's a friggin' stallion -" had become real. Jeanne was supposed to have come tonight — she hadn't showed was she who'd suggested Louise try for a "What 1 really like to see on a man is a scholarship, she who'd persuaded Delbert good bum •— you know? Angèle thinks her up — because she was still angry? If anyone had the right to be angry it was she, Louise. and Nicole to let die girl go off to Halifax Joey's such a prize but Jesus, he's like a tray an her own to study. And she'd arranged of jelly buns when he walks -" Jeanne had answered none of her letter that first year away, and once Louise had single-handedly for Jeanne's admission to "- says those things are like wearin' a found out why, she'd never written again. Saint Joseph's, the same year Louise had friggin' wet suit, that it's my responsibility! VICE VERSA 53 39 gone off to Dalhousie. If Tante Roselle had yellow and mint green, the only two "safe" the paper plate, heavy, absurd as a twelve- forth; someone started up the record player reach shore through mile-high breakers. Lou, don't look like it was cocaine or some- been disappointed by Jeanne's failure there, colours. She thought of the nursery she'd tiered wedding cake atop her head; feeling again — and Louise's ordeal was over. The room was full of chins wagging, heads thin' — hell, a baby could smoke this and she hadn't confessed a word of it. already stocked at home, the brightly like an animal fattened and dressed for From the moment Jeanne slouched nodding, hands holding cake-laden plates have sweet dreams. So come on, let's find "You can tell your friend out there/He'U coloured, functional baby clothes she'd slaughter as the camera snapped away, into the room, everyone forgot about to balloon-bosoms: her belly kept getting somewhere warmer. Come on." have to go." bought, detesting pastels, bunny-ears, ruf blinding her with the flash, so that she Louisette. For her the change was as palpa in the way. She pressed through as best she They slipped their coats off the hooks A fork tapping a plastic punch glass. fles. And to everyone she smiled her couldn't see, only heard her coming into ble as a sudden shift in temperature, as if could, forgetting Jeanne — she had to find in the hallway, and Louise followed Jeanne "Okay ladies. Ladies! Let's not forget why thanks, her throat dry, her words as emo the parlour: "Jesus Christ, Lou, look at the the sleet outside had diawed into a warn a batliroom, she'd wet herself if she wasn't blindly out the kitchen door. Dodging the we're here tonight." Betty, Louise's cousin tional, as meaningful as fingernail clip tits on you — I guess getting knocked up's spring rain. How like Jeanne to have drawn careful. Somehow she squeezed her way sleet-stiff wind they ran to a truck patked — and twenty years older than she — clap pings. They wouldn't know "mignon"; she'd good for somethin'." everyone's attention away from the absurd into the kitchen and reached the toilet off at the end of Tante Roselle's drive. ping plump pink hands, her spectacles have to say "mah c'est cute" as they were Jeanne, slouching with her hands on and truly awful crown with which die the entrance hall. It was freezing in there: "Careful," Jeanne shouted. "We don't want flashing as she walked towards the sofa and doing. But she couldn't, it would sound her hips, jeans and a sweater that had been women had both decorated and mocked her teetii rattled in time to the sleet sting no premature births here — Kenny'd kill drew Louise up. "Now, Louisette it's time false, coming from her now. washed so many times it hung round her the prodigal: pregnant for the first time at ing die windows, she had to negotiate her me if I messed up his new upholstery." She for you to get back on the throne — I've Someone was passing around fudge like a dead sheep. Her hair, the black hair thirty-five, and with no husband to send self on and off the seat, so tiny was the hoisted Louise up into the cab, then ran got a toast I want to propose — Nicole, and brownies and wedge-shaped space. around to the other side and banged the where's the champagne? And the glasses?" molasses taffy — why this She washed her hands door shut after her. Started up the engine, Louise wishing that, just this once, she did mix of sweetmeats and and reapplied her switched on the heat and they sat there n't have to notice it was Château-Gai; did salacious talk at baby make-up in die crack side by side, motor running, going n't have to remember David consulting his showers? Hadn't she ed glass over die sink, nowhere, staring at the ice-encrusted Hugh Johnson every time they went out to sworn she would never, but waited for a few windshield. dinner — her embarrassment at his send ever let herself be given moments before going ing back rhat bottle of what had seemed to "Some fuckin' spring, eh? Want a one — hadn't she moved out — as long as she her a perfectly good Chambolle-Musigny, toke?" to a place, into circles could stand the cold. the first night of their honeymoon. If he "No thanks — it's not good for the where these tilings were Her breasts felt were here — but then they'd agreed that baby." beyond the pale? She'd go painfully full — if it neither one of them would foist their fam back to Vancouver and was this bad now, what "Christ, Lou, you think you're sittin' ily on tile other. Except this baby, now — have the baby and die her would happen when on eggs? I've had six kids and I smoked — weren't they having it in order to become a friends would come round the milk came in? And and drank — through every one of them. family, which meant readmitting their — friends from work, the how could she breast Oh, not too much, mind you — I'm not own? Would she ever have come back to wives of David's col feed — she'd be going that dumb. But what the hell — if you the French Shore, even for a visit, if not leagues, come round with back to work a month fuck, you get pregnant, right? And if you for- Kate Greenaway friezes after the baby's birth. can't enjoy yourself while the kid's still safe and exquisitely illustrated David didn't like big- inside, not needin' his ass wiped or a tit "How happy we all were to find out volumes of Mother breasted women, he'd shoved in his mouth, then you're really up that our Louisette, who's been gone such a Goose; computerized toys told her that the first shit creek without a paddle. I mean, I long time — not rhat we'd forgotten you, or else extremely expen time they'd made love. might as well have stayed at St. Joseph's, you'll be one of us till the day you die — sive wooden trains and Whete was David, for all the fun I'd of had, right ?" was coming back home — and in such an boats. The day she'd told why wasn't he with Sweet smoke making Louise's head interesting condition. Let me add — it's David she was pregnant, her — where was her spin. Sickly sweet, like the iced cakes and about time — it better be quintuplets, if he'd ordered a bottle of mother, why had she marshmallow squares. She opened the win you want to catch up with your friends champagne from a dealer brought her to this dow an inch, letting the air sting her face here, Louisette. New we know you're a in Paris — it was waiting awful party? She bit for a moment, then closed it and turned to great success, you work in a big office in in the refrigerator for her her lips, feeling sud Jeanne. "Look, we don't have to talk about Vancouver, and you married an important and the baby. He'd told denly bereft, aban it if you'd rather — 1 mean, I don't blame man, and even if he's not acadien you know her that the first thing doned. Who was she you, Jeanne, I'm not making any kind of he's welcome here, we want to see this guy she'd hear after the baby's to be having a child judgment. All I know is that you were at of yours one day -" cry in the delivery room when she was still a the convent and then — you were out, not "Eh, Louisette, has he got a good cock would be a cork popping. 1 child herself? even a year later. You were so sure you on him? How come he took so long to The day after she'd told wanted to be there instead of here — what shove in that bun, eh?" David she was pregnant 2i happened T' She was padding "Shut up Réjeanne. Anyway, it's time he'd registered with an agency: she'd have a back to the kitchen to Jeanne rubbed her hand across her to finish talking. Let's drink a toast to die find her mother and scalp, flicking up the short black hairs. She modier-to-be and diat baby she's hatching: whole crew of potential 2 nannies to interview tell her she wanted to closed her eyes, drew on her cigarette. To old times and old friends — salutl Okay, go home, though it Then turned to Louise and puffed the let's open some of these presents — when she flew home. How would that be, flying back to Nova Scotia to show off the wasn't yet ten-thirty. smoke in her face. "Nice, eh? How'd you Ginette, you get the ribbons off them first she used to wear braided down her back, She could say she was exhausted, she could get so stuck up, Lou? Stuck-up or fucked-up — Lise, you're good at tying diem on, we baby, stepping off die plane at Yarmouth off drinking with the guys — what sort of a now cut so short you could see the tips of say she had to finish packing, though her — some choice, eh? What happened — want this hat to be bigger than that belly of followed not by her husband but by the woman was she anyway? "Look at the tits on her ears, die nape of her neck as she turned suitcases were already standing by the front how the hell do I remember — it was fif hers — who's got the polaroid.7" nanny? "David's sorry, he's so busy, he's in you\" Remembering, in one irresistible to get a beaker of champagne. Louise fum door, ready to go. Someone was coming to teen, sixteen years ago. Six kids age. Be six Tokyo right now, but he promised to phone rush, how she and Jeanne would spend One by one she unwrapped them: bled with the hat, yanking it off her head, use the bathroom — if it was Réjeanne teen kids if I hadn't got Kenny pissed out of and say hello while I'm here. And you hours in front of the mirror, padding their boxes with embroidered bibs and Nuk- catching her hair in the staples. Jeanne was she'd trip the bloody cow — just who did his mind one night and got him to sign the could always come out to see us, we'd pay training bras with socks and cotton batten: brand pacifiers which she decided she for the whole family to come out, it would nowhere to be seen, or rather, everywhere, she think she was? Got a good cock on him! papers." could never use, simply because of the how she'd still been stuffing her bras long Why hadn't she been able to toss one back be our treat." Knowing that none of them slapping her friends on the back, joking, "Papers?" name. Cartons of Pampers -how was she after Jeanne had gone into a C cup. Boys at her — that's how you played the game. had ever accepted her offers before, or were bantering, her white teeth flashing in the "For a tubal litigation -" supposed to take them home on the plane? calling her the walking toothpick, and Cockadoodledoo she could have said. likely to change their minds now. darkness round Tante Roselle, whom she "Ligation, you mean" Unless they were for her modier to keep , Jeanne's reply: "Never mind, they're just looked at for a moment, then passed by. "Scuse me for breathin' — of course to have a supply on hand whenever Louise pissed off because you're smarter that them. "Cocka — " but that wasn't Réjeanne, The baby presents were all clumped back you're right, the lady's always right. Shit, visited. Ruffled plastic pants, flannelette I'd trade my boobs for your brains any day, it was Jeanne, and she wasn't off to use the "You look great!" Réjeanne, tying the in the laundry basket; women clung this stuff isn't worth the paper it's rolled up receiving blankets, burping cloths, bunting kid." bathroom. "So there you are — got a ribbons so tight under Louise's chin she limpet-like to corners, whispering back and in. Anyway — what happened, what hap bags with bunny ears, stretch-suits in pale Jeanne — where was she now? Louise light?" She was pulling from the pocket of thought she'd surely be strangled. Feeling pened ... . Maybe the nuns didn't like my struggled to the door, a swimmer trying to her ski jacket a small plastic bag. "Christ, 40 VICE VERSA 53 VICE VERSA 53 41 looks — too much Indian in my blood. "Except for what?" say good-bye. You on your way now, Maybe I didn't like the look of the nuns — "He's the one who wants this baby. He Jeanne? How're those kids of yours — maybe 1 couldn't fit into those steel-capped said he'd leave me if I didn't take steps to young Kenny doing okay now?" bias of theirs — eh? Or maybe I'm merely get pregnant. So I went off the pill and "Yeah, he's fine — doctor says it'll take human after all — some of us are, you here I am seven months full of a baby I'm him another month before he's back to know? I came home for a visit halfway petrified of having. Because I don't love it, normal. He could of lost a leg on that Jesus through my novitiate and — well, I I don't fell anything for it, it's like some motorcycle. Damned if I know what to do sneaked out one night and went down to thing that's invaded me. I even tried — I to keep him off it. Wish I didn't give a the Fish and Game. Kenny was there — haven't told anyone else this, but I tried to damn, that's all." remember, he was a year ahead of us at get rid of it. I booked into a clinic in "Oh, but you can't help caring. Once a school — that's to say, he dropped out a Seattle — and cancelled out at the last mother always a mother. You're not going, year before we graduated. But he was a moment. Not because I had a change of Jeanne? Look, there's some coffee left — handsome bugger — still is. And he screws heart, but because I couldn't leave the you girls still have a lot to catch up on." office." like an angel — I thought I was in heaven "Sorry, I gotta run, my old man'U be that night. Didn't think so nine months "So? You think you're the only one? waitin' for the truck. Christ, I nearly forgot later, of course — it was like someone You think none of those women in there — Here, Lou. I was all out of wrapping hackin' me open with a dull knife, gettin' ever felt like you do now? Only it's a whole paper. Go on, take it — it's for the baby." that first one out. Sorry, don't mean to lot worse for us — we got the priests Louise held out her hand. A carton of scare you — it'll be different for you. I showin' us pictures of dead babies in Q-tips. Disappointment sharp as sleet didn't exactly have the best of care, if you garbage bags — and we can't get the cash against her face. "You shouldn't have, know what I mean. I married Kenny — to book into any clinic in Boston. Oh Jeanne. But — they'll come in handy. I sorry, got him drunk enough to marry me come on, let's get out of here." mean, they're something you can always — a month before Janette was born. She's find a use for." a good kid — Christ, she's no kid, she's "No, wait, just a moment. Please, nearly fifteen, smarter than her dad and me Jeanne. What am I going to do? Two more "Shit, Lou- do you really think I'd give put together. And she'll be goin' to univer months and this baby will be here and you Q-tips? Open it, for Christ's sake. sity — scholarship and all, just like you. everyone will know I don't want it — that Look, it's no big deal, just open it will you?" Gonna study somethin' important and it's not really mine. It belongs to David — Inside the box, a pair of shoes. Sky- make lots of money and buy up the whole it belongs to my mother more than it does blue felt, with beads stitched into the French Shore. Yeah, we got it all figured to me. I can't even think of this ridiculous shapes of birds and flowers. Small straps to out. She'll but the senator's house — you belly of mine as a baby, even when it kicks fasten round the ankles of a child. Louise know, that big white one with the little and shoves. So what do I do?" stroked the soft felt, tracing beaded pat tower and the stained glass? We'll set up Jeanne pushed open the door. "You terns with her fingertips. She closed her house and live happily ever after, just the move your ass and go back to the party." eyes. For a moment she could image the two of us. And I'll get to wear a mink coat, "I can't." feet inside those shoes — then the child's instead of just skinnin' the buggers — But Jeanne had jumped down from the whole body, even the colours of her eyes that's what I do with my spare time. Roselle truck — was wrenching Louise's door open, and hair. Stick figure, taking on flesh.... never told you? It's not so bad — better tugging her out. The two women made By the time she opened her eyes, than spendin' your life on your knees, with their way back to the house arm in arm, Jeanne had gone. The storm was worse: ice up your — Sorry, better watch my rain slicing at their unprotected hands and rain against the windows like a hundred tongue. Had enough of this shit, anyhow." faces. glasses smashing. They heard a door slam, a She opened the window and tossed the In the kitchen women were packing truck pulling away. "Careful, Louisette joint onto the roadside. up leftovers. A heavy smell of cellophane, you're crushing them." Nicole took the flashes of tin foil. Plastic cups and plates shoes from her daughter, smoothed them "Better get you back inside — they'll being chucked into garbage bags. Nicole out and slid them back into the box. "It's a be missin' you." Jeanne reached for the gave a little cry as she looked up at her shame," she sighed. "Jeanne does beautiful handle on her side of the cab, but Louise daughter. work, but these shoes aren't good for much. put out her arm and stopped her. "There you are — we didn't know An active child could wear through the soles in five minutes flat. You'll see. "Jeanne? I'm sorry." what was going on. So Jeanne's been look Louisette — you all right? Don't cry, honey, "I don't need no pity, lady." ing after you? I'm glad you two got togeth it's bad for the baby. There's nothing to "I don't mean sorry for you. I'm sorry I er at last — been a long time. Too long. worry about — you're just tired, over-excit never wrote after I found out you'd left St. We're not going to let you get away with it ed. You sit down in the rocker there — I'm Joseph's. That I didn't keep — in touch." again, are we Jeanne? I want to see this baby before it's twelve weeks old, never going to help Chatline rinse out the coffee "So, you're sorry. Let's go." cups and then we can go home." "It hasn't exactly been a bed of roses mind twelve years. Good night, Simone. for me either, you know. Oh, sure, I've got You should phone her tomorrow and thank Louise shook her head, and walked my degrees, and my job, and David. We got her, Louisette — she spent an hour scotch- past the ribboned rocker to the parlour married three years ago. I'd been too busy taping the cards to the presents, so you can window, hands gripping the sill, she peered for anything more that a couple of flings remember who gave what. Tante Roselle's into the black storm where Jeanne and the before I met him. It's not exactly a love asleep in her room — poor thing was ready truck had vanished: where her baby kicked affair, but we get along well, we both want for bed hours ago. Maybe you can stop by and whirled. • the same things out of life. Except -" tomorrow on the way to the airport, and Unable to cut in between Glued to the sight I walk SPECTRAL Screeming mother and infant away never forgiving mysell girl whose soul is being stealing the child. AGONY raped by her prison food of hate when I could. When I could. from being overweight. Isaac Augustine BETWEEN THE EXILE Interview with novelist Leandro Urbina AND THE IMMIGRANT WILLIAM ANSELMI ice Versa — Leandro Urbina, what was more or less an attempt to hold on to a L.U. — When Cobro revertido (Longues does it mean to write in Canada certain identity and to refuse to accept the distances) came to Chile, it came through Vtoday? fact that you were in a different country. Argentina because it went through the Leandro Urbina — The concepts we use V.V. — Is there a trajectory from the Planeta contest for the whole Spanish-speak here to define certain things are somewhat political exile to finally Cobro revertido in ing world and had been chosen as the only foreign in terms of my culture. I was an exile, which there is an adult awareness of becom Chilean novel to be short-listed. a political exile. Here, ethnic , for example, ing conscious of a particular history in a dif Planeta-Chile (because Planeta is a defines things never thought about in my cul ferent space? multinational corporation) decided to pub ture. So, I thought of myself as a political L.U. — My first published work was a lish it immediately, the day after it was exile and also, as a writer and an intellectual short-story book that deals only and exclu known that it was the only Chilean novel to who came to Canada because of the political sively with the coup d'état. The second novel be short-listed. situation in Chile after Pinochet's coup d'état that I attempted to write in Argentina V.V. — So it was meant as an act of nor in 1973. (where I moved to in 1973) and in Canada, malization of the process now that Chile was V.V. — What made you then come to is about the exile in Argentina. I could never once more a democratic country. Canada and how were you received here as a write anything about Canada at the time L.U. — Exactly. And since they had to political exile? because I didn't know anything about this choose a novel that reflects the exile situa L.U. — In Canada at the time was Pierre country. When I married my Canadian wife Eliott Trudeau, there was a very open climate who was a translator (therefore she could and a very generous spirit towards the speak my language), I attempted to bring her Chileans. The Chilean community was very into my world but, of course, there was "con well organized. I came in 1977. So, in the tamination" she showed me a lot about most basic way it had a kind of "soft landing". Canada as well. That is when I started to live in this kind of island that was half-Canada V.V. — In terms of your own identity what and half-Chile or Latin-America. do you think that you are in this context? L.U. — The pain came after learning V.V. — You did finish Cobro revertido the language. The tough part became a part though... of my daily reality. Because there was a polit L.U — But only to get rid of the bad ical organization here mainly working omen of my previous failures and also to be towards Chile at that moment, the whole able to ground the experience. 1 tried to write thing of Canada was very transitory and not about one of the experiences in Canada that well defined. We were working towards was closer to my own experience which is the Chile, we talked about Chile all the time, we problem of Quebec's sovereignty. There were met daily with our friends, we were living a lot of Chileans in Quebec who lived that here in Spanish. Canada was the place where process half-understanding the political we were living in the most basic sense. To drama through which Quebec was going. turn from an exile to an immigrant; to realize V.V. — The protagonist of your novel and accept that you're an immigrant now, not only seems to fail with the women but at that you have to live here was a process that the same time seems to have lost his relation took many forms. For me, one of the first ship with his mother. tion, they chose this one because it had steps was to marry a Canadian woman. L.U. — That relationship is already already been sanctified in Argentina. V.V. — This process did it mean a loss of gone in Chile because he rebels against his V.V. — Well, Pinochet was still in that community based on a political motiva mother through another woman who was the power. tion? ideal. L.U. — No, he wasn't in power but he L.U. — It meant not only the loss of the And he fills that void with speech. The was there. When I came back to Canada in community. What we thought was a political characters talk and talk and analyze because '93, 1 was invited by Planeta to publish my régime became very well established and all when you can't show your emotions you have first book -the book of short-stories about the discourses about its imminent fall became a to rationalize everything. coup d'état. kind of litany. V.V. — So, in a way, Longues distances V.V. — What does it mean to you to V.V. — You've portrayed a certain disen- seems to have closed a chapter in your life as publish this novel translated in French in chantement with this transformation from a writer, it seems to have come to terms with Quebec? political exile to immigrant in the novel a particular experience. L.U. — I think that the novel belongs to Cobro revertido which appeared in 1992, won L.U. — I don't know if I have closed the Quebec in a way. The fact that someone like Chile's most prestigious literary award and chapter of the exiled immigrant experience Jacques Lanctôt, who has been involved in has now been translated into French as because I think that even when people try to the nationalist fight, would decide to publish Longues distances. dismiss it because it's difficult to assimilate it tells us something about the political cli L.U. — The novel tries to grasp a and they don't want to hear about it. One of mate in Quebec. There is a dawning idea of change of state. It's situated in the moment the main problems is the exiles and move accepting other discourses about Quebec and where you have to change your identity to be ments of populations, of displacements. reflecting on what the 'Other' thinks about able to function in a normal way because you V.V. — What did it feel like to win Quebec and about the political situation can't live in Chile and in Canada at the same Chile's most prestigious literary award for a there. • time. At that point, all the discourses about work that is indicative that you were forced the return to Chile, became completely into exile by your mother country ? ridiculous. There was no reality in them, it VICE VERSA 53 43 De cômo Esquivel perdiô 1G arcia On earlier O RECUPERE SU PASADO EN SAM trips to Mexico, I bought, from WILL STRAW street vendors, tapes of Mexican hits from u e THE RECORD MAN u n Montreal the early 1960s. Most of these hits are viajar a piano y un Spanish language covers of American post- Montreal restirador, donde Presley pop or British invasion songs, part para recuperar parte GRACIELA MARTÏNEZ-ZALCE trabaja. Las parti- elsewhere define their tastes as under of the global explosion of translated pop no s6lo de mi pasado Coyoacân, Ciudad de Mexico turas estin trazadas n Mexico City, on the morn ground. that has been called the Yé-Yé Inter genealôgico sino del de la por él mismo, con port- ing before we set out to inter My academic travels are almost always national. In Montreal, people are struck cultura de mi pafs. Mi amigo Will Straw, quiero aminas; los trazos de los view Esquivel, I sit in Gra- a pretext for seeking out music. Over time, immediately by the similarity of this music autoridad en el campo de la mûsica popu prescindir. pentagramas son muy pe- ciela's apartment and watch I have become preoccupied with the ways to Québécois pop music from the same lar, me preguntô si no conocfa a Esquivel, En un primer mensaje, mi madré me quenos y minuciosos, limpfsimos. MuchMusicI, from Canada. 'The Nation's in countries dispose of their cultural waste, period. Group names are similar — Los mûsico mexicano de gran éxito entre cier- contaba acerca de la época de oro de la Llevamos pensado un cuestionario que Music Station,' by now a global operation, the records and books whose lifecycles as Hooligans/Les Hooligans — and the same to grupo de conocedores en Estados Unidos XEW: dos orquestas eran las mâs impor tiene mucho que ver con la primera etapa has been available to cable subscribers in commodities have reached their final Animals or Chuck Berry songs circulate y Canada. iWho is Esquivel? Entonces, tantes, la de Luis Alcaraz y la de Juan de su carrera, con su trabajo en la XEW; sin Mexico for many months. There is the lure stages. In Quebec, forty years of local music through the repertories of dozens of groups comenzô la descripciôn de lo que, perd6n Garcia Esquivel; la de Alcaraz era muy embargo, de una anécdota pasa a la orra. of the illicit for me in this. Where I live, in production have left behind the thousands in both countries. By the end of the 1960s, por la ignoracia, a partir de su obra se habfa parecida a las estadounidenses, las de Pasamos imperceptiblemente del ingles al Montreal's Plateau district, MuchMusic is of records which fill the Maisons du disque in Mexico as in Quebec, musicians and denominado algo asf como space age bach Glenn Miller y Tommy Dorsey; la de espanol. Nos muestra los archivos, que son denied to me by a cable company which and other second-hand record warehouses fans had come to see this earlier explosion elor pad music. Los ruiditos, los metales Garcia Esquivel era diferente, màs moder- muy recientes. Toda la documentaciôn has decided (rightly, perhaps) that scattered around Montreal. Inside these of musical activity as an embarassment. At usados de determinada forma, y conforme na, se atrevfa a hacer innovaciones, por anterior la perdiô en una maleta en un MusiquePlus, the French-language music structures, I find the fake Tijuana brass best, it was remembered as a frivolous la descripciôn segui'a yo escarbaba en mi tanto, menos accesible al gran publico. aeropuerto. Tampoco tiene las partituras video network, is all I need. In Coyoacan, albums produced in Montreal in the mid moment on the road to an indigenous, seri memoria hasta que, de repente, supe de originales de sus arreglos. Alguien se las I can watch MuchMusic slight 1960s, the French-language Hawaiian ous rock tradition; at worst, as one more quién me estaba hablando: alguien que mis Sin embargo, desconfiando de su pidiô prestadas y nunca se las devolviô. ly altered for the Mexican records, the disco symphonies celebrating sign of each country's colonization and padres escuchaban, por tanto, vedado para memoria, comenzô a hacer averiguaciones; Una y otra vez le preguntô de sus anos en market, see the 'Cana the 1976 Olympics. Québécois popular underdevelopment. The recuperation of mi generaciôn por no ser suficientemente querfa encontrar a Garcia Esquivel para Mexico. Pero siempre vuelve a sus recuer dian Concert Listings' music has its canonized moments and mon yé-yé would come only twenty or thirty cool. que confirmais su version. Su primera 11a- years later, when, with hindsight, it could mada fue para el sindicato de mûsicos, dos acerca de los Estados Unidos. Se fue interspersed with ads uments, its chansonniers and political por una casualidad; se quedô casi sin pen- for Sean Connery rockers, but its historical superiority over be seen as one moment in a political and Juan Garcia Esquivel, que en su exi- donde le dijeron que crefan que el maestro sarlo. Aûn se sorprende del revived del cua films dubbed into English Canadian music rests just as firmly social awakening from the sombre moral toso paso por el norte habfa perdido el ya habfa muerto. Luego, se comunicô con es objeto. Porque lo cierto es que esto on the ways it has produced its own kitsch. climate of the 1950s. apellido paterno. Lo recordaba vagamente la asociaciôn de interprètes y compositores sucede alia, en el norte del norte. English Canadian music almost always como esa figura nerdosa que aparecfa solo para descubrir que no guardaban bears the marks of a laboured earnestness, The night before we interview dirigiendo orquestas en las peh'culas en archivos. Después, en la XEW le dijeron Will y yo vamos a Mixup. Sus and its most innocent musical pleasures are Esquivel, Graciela holds a dinner party at bianco y negro de los inicios del rock and que mucha informaciôn se habfa perdido discos estân clasificados con la imported from elsewhere. It has produced her apartment in Coyoacan. Mischie roll en Mexico, de cuando yo aûn no habfa durante el terremoto del 85. Por ultimo, mûsica en espanol (?)• Solo hay little which might serve as the soundtrack vously, 1 put on a CD I have purchased ear nacido, cuyos protagonistas estudiaban en Uamô al canal dos, en donde uno de los una ediciôn mexicana. for cocktails or elevator rides, or lend itself lier that day: 'Las Chicas del Rock & Roll,' el Politécnico o en la UNAM, y que pasa- cantantes y actores de aquellas peliculas El resto son las reedi- to an anthropology of musical ordinariness. a compilation featuring Mexican female ban en el canal cuatro después de la hora rocanroleras conduce un programa matuti- ciones de BMG, im- In Mexico City, after several visits, 1 singers from the 1960s and early 1970s. de la comida. En realidad, para mf un no. Fue finalmente él quien le informô que portadas, que yo compré am perplexed by the apparent absence of Mayte Gaos sings 'Susi La Coqueta' desconocido. Garcia Esquivel vivfa en Cuernavaca. El en Canada- En la ("Runaround Sue"), Anina sings "Luces de ultimo paso de la bûsqueda fue una llama- used record stores. At the weekly record Fue entonces cuando hice el nexo: mi noche, durante la cena la Ciudad" ("Downtown"). Reactions are da a la operadora telefônica que la comu market in the El Chopo district, hundreds abuelo fue saxofinista y clarinetista y con amigos, todos se mixed, but recognition is widespread, and 1 nicô con Sergio, el hermano de Juan. Y fue of young punks exchange tapes or CDs of durante muchos anos trabajô en la XEW sorprenden de escuchar adore the music. (Later, in the U.S., I will asf como conseguimos la entrevista. Porque hardcore and techno music, but there are que por décadas fue la estaciôn de radio nuestra historia. La buy "Romanticas del Rock" from the same Garcfa Esquivel se sintiô encantado de few of the wrinkled old albums of easy lis mas importante en Mexico. Su casa siem- mûsica de fondo, por series. ) I am curious about the audience for saber que alguien en Canada estaba intere- tening music I expect and crave. The pre estuvo llena de mûsicos. Mi madré supuesto, es la del space these compilations: is there a subculture of sado en saber que hacfa actualmente. Sunday flea market is only marginally bet tenia que acordarse de algo. Asf que, medi- age bachelor pad. Todos ter, and I still wonder where a city with young connoisseurs devoted to this music, recordamos las pelfculas as in Quebec, or do such collections appeal ante la magia del internet, le pedf que me De ese modo, el 17 de agosto, en una almost as many people as Canada has sent de nuestro 007 local, las exclusively to nostalgic thirty-somethings? contara sus recuerdos de ninez. manana lluviosa, Will y yo nos lanzamos a its old records to die. On the sidewalk of a de partidos de futbol Most of these compilations are on a Como toda madré que se precie de Cuernavaca, sintiéndonos los reservoir side street, finally, I find hundreds and americano Poli vs. Uni- label called "Orfeon", and I discover, near serlo, la mfa tiene una desdibujada idea de dogs (aunque mi hermano dice que hundreds of old records leaning against the versidad. Sin embargo, the end of my trip, that they all bear the lo que hago para vivir, pero no tiene ni parecfamos Dumb and Dumber), para lle- side of a building, and a vendor who four- a todos les sigue resul- logo "Made in Canada." This is one more remota de cômo manejar la computadora. var a cabo la entrevista. Garcfa Esquivel nishes me with a stool on which to sit as I tando incomprensible el effect of NAFTA, of course, but it is anoth Instalada en la desconfianza, vfa correo vive en una tfpica casa clasemediera de fin finger through them. I buy a dozen or so. obsesivo interés de cier er twist in the circuits of exchange that electrônico se lanzô a contar; sin embargo, de semana, con una pequena alberca, Some of these are titles I have seen for sale to grupo en esa mûsica take MuchMusic to Mexico and leave ^qué podrïa ella decir que pudiera tener buganvilias y muebles estilo mexicano. En at collector's prices in the 'International' que no les dice mayor Esquivel, forgotten in his own country, importancia para el trabajo académico? Sus su recâmara, el espacio es ocupado por una section at Disquivel, the Montreal record cosa. Como se dice acâ, memorialized in the name of a Montreal descubrimientos fueron muy importantes cômoda llena de folders con recortes de las store named in hommage to the no cabe duda de que record store. • para cosas que yo solo imaginaba sin haber notas que le mandan periodistas y admira- Mexican godfather of Space Age nadie es proféra en su documentado nunca. dores del extranjero, que archiva en orden u Bachelor Pad Music. cronolôgico; una cama pequena; una Garcia Esquivel iniciô su carrera como cajonera donde se apilan fotos de Garcfa pianista en la XEW. Iba de joven a los estu- GRACIELA MART/NEZ-ZALCE es doctora en Letras Modemas por la Vniversidad Esquivel en los Estados Unidos, con dios, se quedaba por ahî, oyendo y luego Iberoamericana mvesagadora del area de Canada del Centra de Invesàgationes Johnny Carson, con Frank Sinatra; un ensayando, hasta que un dfa un pianista sobre America del None, donde es responsable del proyeao "Dos herencias en aparato de sonido, con discos compactos y faltô y él lo sustituyô para quedarse. Eso nos busca de una idenadad", sobre cultura canadiense contempordnea. cassettes de otros mûsicos, que también le WILL STRAW is Associate Professor m die Graduate Program m Communications lo contô en su casa de Cuernavaca. Pero mandan por correo; y, contra la ventana, at McGiH University and Director of The Centre for Research on Canadian para llegar allî hay un capftulo del cual no Cultural Industries and Institutions. He is an editor of the book Theory Rules: Art as Theory/Theory and Art, and (uith Simon Frith) of the /orthcoming Cambridge Companion to Popular Music 44 VICE VERSA 53 VICE VERSA 53 45 Lush Dreams Inside The When Fox Is a Statues of Saints Thousand Clarke, George Elliott. Lush Dreams, Blue Exile. Nova Scotia: Pottersfield George Szanto, Inside The Statues of Lai, Larissa. When Fox Is a Thousand. Press. 1994. 95p. $9.95. Saints , Mexican Writers Talk About Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers, Culture and Corruption, Politics and 1995.236p lthough not a recent publica Daily Life, Véhicule Press, 1996, tion, George Elliott Clarke's 160 p. $16.95 hen Fox Is a Thousand is collection of poetry provides, about history, sexuality, among other things, a rich por erhaps, George Szanto is a saint mythology, friendship, fa Atrait of Black Nova Scotian culture, a cul himself and so reluctant to probe mily and death. Lai col ture that has been a part of Canada for over deeply that after reading his book, Wlapses various spaces and times to create a 200 years but to which insufficient atten Mexico remains as mysterious as novel that recounts the stories of: a ninth tion has been paid (at least outside the Pever. Perhaps, the writers interviewed are century poetess, Yu Hsuan-Chi, of Fox, a province). To do so, Clarke draws upon an too well ensconced in their literary careers mythological creature whose powers en extensive store of imagery that is both per to bring the fire and dark side of Mexico able him to become female, and of Arte sonal and general, be it the October Crisis, from the streets onto the page. There is a mis, a history student at the University of Negro spirituals, Biblical stories, the strange space that pervades the book, the British Columbia. The three stories blend Halifax waterfront (dockyards) or Paris distancing space between the Mexican and separate as Fox describes episodes from bistros. Some poems even make direct ref writers, their audience, their country, their its thousand year existence and worries erence to specific literary influences like history. Is this Canada in a different form? about his recent protégé, Artemis. Adopt T.S. Eliott ("Marina: The Love Song of Lee However, the book offers interesting ed when she was a child, Artemis meets Harvey Oswald"), Pierre Valière, and Alan nuggets and is thoroughly enjoyable albeit Diane one day during a photo session with Patton ("Crying the Beloved Country"). a bit sketchy. From Maria Luisa Puga: "...I Eden, a male friend with whom she shares Clarke weaves these various experiences realised that an ideal society cannot exist a bed but to whom she does not make love. into a poetry that is intensely private but for long if it does not relate to the societies The two women become friends and lovers yet open and never bitter. which are not yet ideal. So it has to get until a complicated love circle develops contaminated again." Or, from the same between Artemis, Diane, Ming and Perhaps one of the most refreshing ele author: "...the culture of our nation Claude; a circle fraught with mystery and ments of Clarke's work is the definition of emanated from Mexico City, and there is murder. Who killed Diane's gay brother? identity that it endorses. Never original, nothing more alien to our nation than the Could she have prevented it? Did Artemis always hybrid and constituted of various idea Mexico City has about the nation." kill Ming or was she too attacked in a pub other cultures this approach to identity fig lic park because she looked different. ures most prominently in the title of a This book has much to do with the group of poems, "Africadia". In the intro role of the writer within his or her society Although the story seems to weave duction to his work Clarke explains the and the Margo Glantz interview is a curi dreamily in and out of reality, mythology, etymology of this word that designates the ously fascinating study in identity. The history, and present day Vancouver, it is nation of Black Nova Scotians. Composed tone of this book is casual, friendly and not devoid of poignant commentary. Lai of the word "Africa" (a reference to the likeable. My regret is that the dates of these explores the intricate relationships among history of Blacks in America) and of the interviews are not mentioned. But all in women, their cruelty, their violence and word Acadia (designating the Maritimes' all, a worthy introduction to what obvious their the manipulation. She describes the French speaking inhabitants), a word that ly is a more complex subject than we violence suffered by women at the hands of is itself hybrid because it borrows the Canadians can imagine, and no doubt, we men as well as that suffered by homosex Mi'kmaq suffix "cadie" signifying "abound need to hear much more about Mexico and uals and immigrants. Instead if preaching ing in", "Africadia" describes the various her culture in the near future. • R.A. to a blasé reader, the author lets several cultural influences that have shaped the subtle but shocking scenes speak for them Black Nova Scotian identity. Instead of selves. When Fox Is a Thousand is a well limiting his experience to a narrow cultur crafted text that is frequently addictive and al ghetto, Clarke explores the various her very difficult to put down. • T.P. itages both local and global that have con tributed to his identity and to his poetry. This collection of poems is a pleasure to read. Not only has Clarke something to say but he says it beautifully! • S.F. 46 VICE VERSA 53 Or better. • • subscribe! SUBSCRIPTION RATES (4 ISSUES) /TARIFS D'ABONNEMENT (4 NUMÉROS) CANADA USA/E.-U. OVERSEAS/OUTREMER G.S.T. INCLUDED/TPS. INCLUSE Individual/lndividu $15 CAN $18 US $25 CAN Cheque or money order to: Institutions $30 CAN $35 US $50 CAN Chèque ou mandat-poste à: Support $50 CAN $55 US $70 CAN VICE VERSA PO.Box 991, Station A. Montréal, Qc. Canada H3C 2W9 Phone: (514) 847-7558 Fax: (514) 847-1593 Name/Nom: Address/Adresse: Province/State/Etat: .Postal Code/ZIP/Code postal:. 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