Photo by Vincent Mas Llorens
Mi tierra es tu tierra
te la presto.
Te presto los caminos las sendas
por si quieres volver a ella
por si quieres saber que uno y uno, cientos
que de la entraña nace el pino
y del ojo la ceguera. Continue reading
Artwork by Enrique Cropper
“I first heard the story of George’s grandfather, Frank, in the summer of 1990, at one of his famous garden barbecues” je racontais, déjà regrettant de m’être porté volontaire pour faire, en anglais, un speech ‘d’un de ses proches à l’Autorité Réglementaire Européenne’, lors du service commémoratif de George, mon collègue depuis plus de 20 années.
“It seems Grandfather Frank was a very special person. He was a humble joiner – comment on dit en français, un menuisier – from Barking in the east of London and had died in action in the ‘Plan du Dyle’, during the defence of Belgium in May 1940. Frank and George lie now together in the cemetery of the Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Wavre”.
“George, of course, never met his grandfather but had been told he was a calm man, who had entered the British army with the unusual aim of never taking anyone’s life.”
En regardant les visages de la centaine de collègues, j’ai commencé à souffrir d’une petit crise de panique. Aurais-je dû parler, devant autant de collègues au cœur de la construction européenne, de l’histoire de la mort du grand-père de George, pendant une des périodes les plus néfastes de l’histoire du continent ?
Picture: A family trip on what seems like a long time ago. Lily and the Seagulls.
“The opposite of earth is space; you need to become a human to match the two, my darling. Or a bird. There are only two possibilities. If you choose a different incarnation, you will never connect them. Until another life, of course. I would choose a human form in your place, even though a bird form is more appealing on the first sight.” Almighty paused and took a sip from very fresh, almost crispy wine.
“Why, why, I love flying, flying is freedom,” the soul shouted.
“That is why. You will get the chance to learn that roots give you as much freedom as wings. So, that is decided.” The Almighty has left the glass suspended and stretched in the Eternity.
That is why Alexandra has come to the world as a pig-tailed, freckled, round-shaped girl with an immense desire to fly.
Tenían que despegar. Todos lo habían hecho ya. Ya todos les esperaban en el Cielo.
Hubieran preferido que les esperasen en el interior del Océano Indico, en esas profundidades rodeadas de ese otro mundo marino, sabiamente ordenado y estructurado, donde todo tiene un sentido y todos están civilizados. Continue reading
Thursday 12 December on 7:30 p.m.
Writingbrussels is back with more stories: My Land is Your Land.
We will be hosted in a prestigious venue: the Embassy of Slovakia. Avenue Molière 195 in Ixelles (map).
click on pic
