2.08.2009

Nighttrain to Lisbon (2)



"I praise the words of God, because i love their poetic power.
I detest the words of God, because i hate their cruelty.
The love for God's words is a very complicated love, because she has to continuously behold the lightning power of the words, with use of that same words, the predominating by a presumptious God.
The hate is a very complicated hate, because how can you allow yourself to hate words that belong to the melody of life in this part of the world?
(...)
Words which we wouldn't be the same without?"



Now they had laughed together, for minutes.
It had had something of a touch.
A light, almost unnoticeable touch without resistance, something that would have made every other touch look like a plump, almost ridiculous manoeuvre.



"Life isn't the life we live,
it's the life we think we live."



" In our youth we live as if we are immortal.
The consciousness of that immortality hangs around us as a thin ribbon of paper that barely touches our skin.
On which moment in our life changes this?
When begins that paper ribbon to become tighter around us,
till it finally strangles us?
Whereby do you get to feel that inexorable press,
that lets us know that it will never be less again?"



The universe is just here.
And the universe doesn't care at all,
at all,
what happens to us.



"It feels like thirst, he had said,
when it surprises me, the homesickness, then it seems like an unbearable thirst, maybe i have to know all the trainconnections because i want to be able to go home at every time, i wouldn't stand it in Siberia, imagine: the chatter of the wheels all that days and nights, it would remove me further away from Lisbon, continuously further away."



"Although, what you did,
touched me deeply,
whatever it was."



"Then you hugged me, the only time after i had left my tender age.
I smelled the tobacco and the soap on your face.
I can still smell it and the pressure of your arms,
that didn't let go of me for longer than i expected.
I dreamed about that arms,
and in my dreams it were begging, stretched out arms with the severe request to the son as a mild magician to release the father from his pain."



"I needed one year to find out how long a month is.
It happened, what happens every year, but what nevertheless attacked me as if i had never witnessed it before: the new, pale light of the morning announced the winter.
No more radiant shine, no blinding light, no more semblance of heat which makes you shelter for shadow.
A soft, gentle light that already carried the shorter days in it.
Not that i saw the new light as an enemy, i am not someone who makes an idiot of himself by declining and fighting it.
It's better for your energy when summer loses it's sharp ends and treats us with vaguer outlines that force you to be less thorough."
(...)
So the question wasn't: how long is a month?
The question was: how can you make something for yourself with the time of one month? When do i have the impression that this month was completely mine?"



" I often thought that Amadeu's mind was mainly language,
that his soul consisted of words, like i had never experienced with someone else."



(Translation from the Dutch book by me, so there could be English mistakes in it.)
(Pictures from weheartit)

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

"In our youth we live as if we are immortal.
The consciousness of that immortality hangs around us as a thin ribbon of paper that barely touches our skin.
On which moment in our life changes this?"

What a poetic description of life this is!

Thank you for posting these beautiful pictures and words Mila!

xxx

secretfragileskies said...

your posts continue to inspire. just perfect.

Missa said...

You are the master of combining pictures and quotes to create posts that evoke the most amazingly dreamy and magical moods! Just wonderful Mila!

Wild Keiki said...

That book is simply amazing.
I referred it so a friend of mine last week!
Beautiful post, dear.


Love, Love.
Jess.

Wild Keiki said...

That book is simply amazing.
I referred it so a friend of mine last week!
Beautiful post, dear.


Love, Love.
Jess.

Anonymous said...

whoa whoa whoa whoa. you WROTE that?!?!?! this is amazing, Mila!!! as i was reading this, i was thinking, wow, what talented words these are...i bet its from some classic book i've never heard of...thats how good it sounded. i must read this. i'm simply in awe.
xoxo,
Micaela

anywheredreams said...

This is so awesome! Thank you for writing this. It made me think about the things I want to think about.

Lots of hugs & kisses

Meaghan Kelly said...

Missa took the words right out of my finger tips, you create these dreamy wonderful moods and my whole day is brightened by the combination of beautiful words and pictures you always manage to put together!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful quotes.
The first one about God, the other one about the universe, everything is so true and truly moving.
Thank you for sharing.

Meg said...

Oh, my lovey, how I think of you, and send you much love, so, so often!! Hugs, my sprite!

XO always...~M

Unknown said...

Im sorry i havent written here in a while, though i still visit as always :)
I love the clothing from the previous post, oh Mociun!
Much love
Ana

Julianna said...

Oh my! Where can I find one of those typewriter cards?!

Pearls and Peonies said...

Beautiful quotes and lovely pictures. Your blog is so inspiring! :)

Anonymous said...

i am from lisbon and saw this book laying on a table in a bookstore. i picked it up but then put it back down because i really thought i was just being biased. now that i've read your post...i must make it back to the book store :)

sarah said...

lovely post, happy friday...
xo s

Thumbelina said...

"The universe is just here.
And the universe doesn't care at all,
at all,
what happens to us."

This book seems to leave some kind of melancholic, poetic impression on me. It is just so beautiful. I remember the first time you posted about the book, I wanted to read it immediately. And yet, I still have yet to buy it! I have been so consumed with my own pile of books, but I really must buy this book, the words are so heart- breakingly beautiful. Right now I am reading Doctor Zhivago...again, haha. One of my absolute favorites. I also think 'Out Stealing Horses' by Norwegian writer Per Petterson is a book that might interest you.
This post... no words... I loved it so much, I can't wait to read this book!
Hope you are well dear,
Marisa

Gretchen said...

The Universe appear to be whatever we believe it to be. It seems to reflect whatever we project onto it. Kind of like be a little Goddess, magic wand, in hand... That's what I think. Today.

I love your photos, and quotes. Always thought provoking...

Anonymous said...

hello again! you've been tagged, my dear :)
xoxo,
Micaela

Videla Exequiel said...

i loved your sentence: "Life isn't the life we live, it's the life we think we live"

i always love your poetry mila..
greetings for you..

Joyti said...

What a beautiful excerpt. I re-read several times, and I cannot think of a section that I like "best". All of it is exquisite, absolutely wonderful writing (and translation + taste).

Miss B said...

I just found your little piece of loveliness here on the internets this week. Just...beautiful. Thank you. You make me think very much of Joseph Pintauro -- if you've heard of or seen his 4 small books in the "Rainbow Box" set (they are very rare and hard to come by, but if you can find them, they are absolutely worth it) Anyway...this is just to say that this is, for me, a bright spot in an often dark place. Be well; stay lovely.

j. said...

Its amazing how a few lines in a book can mirror one's life at this specific moment. Amazing. I need to get my hands on this book.

Also, the 5th and 7th pictures were so beautiful and haunting. There's some kind of eerie calm about them. I love!

Happy Valentine's Day Mila!

xoxo

V

J said...

wow - lovely blog!

Anonymous said...

Here we go. Look at www.daydate.blogspot.com

indigotangerine said...

i love how you manage to combine the photos and writing together seamlessly. they reflect each other perfectly.

was translating it hard? but thank you for doing it, and sharing this with us.

-tangerine

nikole said...

pretty bottom image