The shadow

The shadow

Text by Maud Tardieu, translated by Patrice Tardieu

«　The shadow comes close slyly, hiding the edges, distorting them, making suspicious everything which is full of irresolution, giving to the rest an artificial prolongation; sometimes, however, from I don’t know where, stretching beyond measure a figure. And the shadow insidiously shrouds a tree, then a square, and finally all the space becomes eternal stillness. It rests, surrounding, widening, everything so that it covers all possible places. Every living being is invited to sleep.

The monstrous shroud has taken all life. It has its revenge on the sun’s glare, the noise; it triumphs.

The shadow can become larger, go strait ahead, or stay behind, becoming the broken edges.

It gnaws, swells, takes everything on his way. You are not anymore yourself; you are owned by it; it makes fun of you; it wins.　»

Note du traducteur: je tire le texte sur l’ombre vers une interprétation accentuée sur le deuil: l’ombre («　the shadow　») est un «　suaire　» qui conduit toute chose au dernier sommeil; et devient, de ce fait, «　the shroud　» (le linceul) qui «　enveloppe　».comme il est écrit. Le verbe anglais «　to shroud　» signifie en effet «　envelopper　» (de mystères).Patrice Tardieu

Maud’s trunk (7)