Friday 21 October 2011

Isabel Mendes Ferreira

fotografia de - Guida Almeida


... embora duvide conseguir fazê-lo, hei-de cá voltar para tentar pôr isto em Inglês..

(As soon as possible, I'll put this in English... I'll be back)

não me morras. nunca. não me deixes. nunca. nunca me devores esta transgressão de te ser a mais doce garra que te agarra a penumbra e te desfila até ao corredor da vida sem morte sem espinhos sem pálidos noivados distorcidos. não me clones outro sonho que este é mais forte que todos os abandonos. vive no fundo das lágrimas sem código de barras nem consumo fácil. sou o tempo oblíquo construtivo de uma teia sem estranhamentos nem compromissos inclinados. não me adoeças o lado mais avesso da realidade onde o destino parece tântrico e não passa de um manto. em círculo. em renda. sem fases de lua. sempre crescente. não me arranhes não me estranhes não me desalimentes esta fome de humanos e de plantas que como as rosas são asas e toalhas estendidas para te receber em linho em estanho em fulgor em crença. nunca te atrevas a morrer-me que me crivas de cristais criminosos e corrosivos. perfurantes e mendigos. sou a tua melhor célula o teu sangue o teu olhar o teu silêncio o teu apelo o meu peito no teu cravejado de montanhas. as mesmas que nunca ouvimos chorar mas que sabemos serem sete estátuas a moldarem-te o sobressalto. nunca me morras que eu tenho de ir à tua frente. amusgar-te o caminho.ser-te o ninho de todas as flores. coroa zodiacal em permanente guarda. casa. de diversos modos te fiz chave. aguardo.te com esta pele intocável. pulsão de todas as metamorfoses. lá fora o enigma é triangular. que importa. crucifico-me de rosas errantes. e deixo-te a última refeição de raios e de rumores alvos e nunca predadores.________________só as bestas morrem deitadas de lado.abocanhadas de lodo.mas tu és o prado. lázaro.

(em nome de todas as rosas te agradeço a rosa)



fotografia de Guida Almeida






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Friday 14 October 2011

Number - and The Common Factor(s)

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."


(ON NON-VIOLENT ECONOMICS)
"Economic equality is the master key to non-violent independence...A non-violent system of government is impossible as long as the wide gulf between the rich and the hungry millions persists....A violent and bloody revolution is a certainty one day unless there is a voluntary abdication of riches and the power riches give and a sharing of them for the public good....All
have not the same capacity...I would not cramp talent...I want to bring about an equalization of status.... "

- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi


"o Protesto" (Laocoön -The Protest) - by Guida Almeida, 2001
(photographed by Sandra Ramos)
Laocoön and his sons pacing the streets of Ilium, warning...


(text in English & Português)


As I dip into the river of time
wading back and forth, swaying
watching 'Multidude' speak
bringing us that ever present cry regarding 'the end of ages'
- but I ask you, what is the end of ages?
Each day is quantumly an end of ages,
each eternal picosecond placed on a slide can be disected,
so what of it?
How many tides must there be before
understanding that the harbingers of death and destruction
are but demons in the minds and hearts of Men?
More than a pair of Third World Wars lay Ilium to rest
yet still came Rome to share at least an other pair
Punic and Servile.

How many treaties of Todesillas,
Reforms, Counter or any other kind?
What about the end of the early bankers in
their white mantles and red crosses?
Did it mean the seas could no longer be crossed?
How many eclipses did it take to see 'the affair', the trinity of spheres?
How many tides before husbandry?

We have been having world struggles since before Promethius passed us his blessing.
The world has ended so many times I've lost count.

Predictions? Almost as many.

So what if that world whence the first Stock exchange appeared in
(exactly four centuries past)
comes to a halt.

We've revolted and ended worlds since the dawn of Man's existence.

Hello my name is number.

( Maria MFA Costa )






____________________________________________


Artigo 21.º
Direito de resistência
Todos têm o direito de resistir a qualquer ordem que ofenda os seus direitos, liberdades e garantias e de repelir pela força qualquer agressão, quando não seja possível recorrer à autoridade pública.
~ in Constituição da República Portuguesa
___________________________________________




The Red and White are the same,
as are the cells in the blood of Man
Blue, the colour of our Planet, mixes with the
Yellow sun
- changing it's hue..
with each revolution..
"Eppur si muove"
(full and/or hemi)Spheres next to spheres

If we're not to be torn assunder
we should learn to swim
together
in a fraternal sea of justice.

(- the question is, can we? )

So many flags - so many painted: Red, Green, Yellow, White, Blue.. so many..
so many..
So many labels, brands, excuses..
How many...
(?)

( Maria MFA Costa
)

image in "public domain" - presently unaware of author, published in books prior to 1923
Death of Spartacus (III Servile War)


(XV & CVI century, Portuguese, Caravel Ships )
The symbol of the first bankers on the sails of ships - Red Templar Crosses

De Beurs by Hendrik de Keyser
opening of 1st Stock Exchange - 4oo years ago - in 1611



ab Ovo - IV by Guida Almeida - 2002
(photographed by Sandra Ramos)



painted in early 2002..
(too much to say, to say in words)

For diverse reasons this painting has only once been displayed, and its first published image on the web ocurred many years later.

Wednesday 5 October 2011

October 5, the founding of a Repubic and what has become of her.. (pela Republica, um Requiem, 5 de Outrubro)

"During the economic crisis, in 1836, in which I was forced to make budget cuts of all kinds I raised as far as I could the funding for Public Education." (translated words of Passos Manuel in Parliament, May 21st - 1856)

"Em momento de crise, em 1836, em que fiz todas as economias, eu aumentei quando pude a despeza da instrucção pública" - Discurso de Passos Manuel, Sessão da Câmara dos Deputados, 21 de Maio de 1856.


(Passos Manuel or Manuel Passos - b. 1801 | d. 1862)



Today being a national holiday in Portugal commemorating the founding of the Republic and the end of monarchy in the land, I leave you with an exquisite Requiem written to pay homage to statesman Passos Manuel - a celebrated 19th century 'Minister for the Kingdom' and noted 'Constitutionalist' Liberal (Left-Wing).
Please bear in mind that the century before the onset of the Republic was one of Civil Wars in the country, and other than being a monarchist, this brilliant politician nevertheless embraced what some could deem to be or label as being Left ideals  (please see *note: at the bottom of the 'blog post')




I quote the man bilingually once again:

The Queen rules the entire country and before my being leftist I already was 'for the country'. My country is my 'political party'.

"A Rainha é o chefe da nação toda. E antes de eu ser de esquerda já era da Pátria. A Pátria é a minha política."



I now leave a Requiem masterfully written in 2004 by a talented Eurico Carrapatoso.
The first public hearing of the piece was two years afterward and by 2008 finally a recording was made.  In my opinion 2008 being a turning point in the world crisis, the "bursting of the bubble" so to speak, I find it rather ironic that this requiem in a "cd" format finally reach daylight.



(I also re-post a painting placed in this blog at the beginning of the
year - link to ORIGINAL POST)
© de Guida Almeida, c. 2002 (fotografia de Sandra Ramos)


Happy October 5.

















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*Note:


( labels are always a subjective thing though their purpose may be objective, so their worth is a two sided street - that of who pins the label - and that of whom or what is labeled. NO, I'm wrong.  Actually, it's more of a three way street, depending on who reads the label is no less significant. Sometimes labels can be quite confounding - such as ''progressive'' and ''conservative'' - as can be and the grouping of both as one, but I suppose context can help in such cases. If we look at the root or core meaning in words, words such as ''Liberal, ''Conservative, ''Social, ''Progressive, ''Constitutional, ''New'', or any other - notice that other than being adjectives they may have a historic placing, in certain societies along with their respective ''time-set''. Take for instance a political party's name - New Democratic Party. I am at ease to mention this example, because I am not affiliated with it, though it is one that I value and has sometimes gained my vote - when it made sense to vote in elections where that party exists. Let us look at its two adjectives: New, and Democratic, and not look South to a neighbouring country that is not a constitutional monarchy.  Also, let us look at another example: The Liberal-Conservative Party. This one is interesting, no? Why am I using these examples? That is easier for me to answer. Both are or were parties in the land where, as a citizen, I began to vote, albeit when I had finally achieved an age when I could vote, and do so in conscience, and, when any of the contenders could convince me to do so.   Not being a ''dictatorship'', I was thus free to vote or to not vote according to my own conscience. If a party could ''win'' my vote, they would be receive it, but they had to ''win'' it. I despise laying guilt trips (and the laying of guilt trips) upon those who vote or do not vote.
Now this has to do with both countries [that of Manuel de Passos, and that of John A Macdonald] where I can place my vote ''in conscience'' when asked to do so, and when it makes sense for me to do so. (Depending on where I live, when doing so, has weight in the matter to be better equipped to do so in an  ''informed'' manner, for instance. But I shall not side-track myself.., and shall proceed). 
When or if promises are broken, when or if things are ''corrupted'' or twisted, who's fault is it? 
Is it of the person who voted or didn't trust any with their vote or for one reason or another didn't feel fit to do so in ''full conscience'' - ? Is democracy only dependent on there being ''elections'', from time to time? Or is it more than that? ).




Once again, wishing whomsoever reads this 'blog-post', a happy Oct.
(no - I'm not thinking of the ''October Crisis'' - or rather - the one called ''October Crisis'' [used to be called, if I recall correctly '' the FLQ crisis,  Ooof, whatever..] , please indulge me, I need some humour from time to time ..)
 💓


Tuesday 4 October 2011

Steve Swallow - 71 today (playlist)

Benjamin Chee Chee - Swallows










Today is thus a day for Strings, Swallows and nephews (also among those born today)..