Saturday, August 1, 2009

The adieu for Marcel van Maele

Marcel's ashes today were put in the honor park at Schoonselhof Cemetery. His voice is silent, except for the readings that have been taped.

Silence

While silence vexingly begs for attention

time stumbles over the clock

and folds its wings. A wobbly table

with tinkling glass.

No time to listen, no time.

Consider and prevail

how averse of experience

imagination drowns in empty glasses.

Words have left the heart,

rarely leaving their shade.

Shadows sneak into the void,

from silence to silence, still.


Marcel Van Maele

3 comments:

  1. Een prachtig voorspellend gedicht, met aanvoelen vertaald.
    'Shadows sneak into the void / from silence to silence, still.

    Rose Vandewalle

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  2. Empty glasses are the remnants of those who drown in the intoxicating wine of ignorance, and dreams and plans of a better life. Happiness and success are not found by getting what one wants, but by wanting what one gets.

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  3. Oh my gosh...I did not know this and just found out googling Marcel...he was a friend of mine in Antwerp...a wonderful guy...we used to leave the panter and go get pita and then get loaded...just a sweet man and hugely talented as an artist...he had a huge sense of an original creative vision...check out his wine bottles with bird wings or cubes in a birdcage...just a great surrealistic imagination...he gave me a rare early homemade catalogue with photos glued in...on my favorite peice he wrote a little poem: "To Be or to Bebop...that is the question Jeff." I am very sad at this info...Marcel, you were one of the greats my friend! I am missing you today at this news...
    Jeff Weigand, Vermont

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