Pre-Genesis
by Tarık Günersel / July 4, 2014 / No comments
Our reality is full of myths. So mythology is not dead.
Here is a contribution by T.Günersel.
According to the Middle East product
monotheistic mythology,
a supernatural being said
“Let there be light!”
and there was light.
But what had happened before that?
Let me reveal it here.
(Scene One of my play
“Sociology of Shit”)
- Life is words in action, literature is action in words.
- Humans are about to destroy their spaceship Earth. Some of them are aware of this and they try to change the course of events. Will they succeed? Will more humans be alarmed and do something?
- Literature is vital and translators are messengers of world peace.
- Though I shall focus on the literary scene in Turkey and its problems regarding freedom of expression, I shall not omit the other parts of our planet. Today local is global and vice versa.
- Tarık Günersel is a poet, playwright, aphorist, librettist and short story writer. He is the president of PEN Turkey and an ex-member of the PEN International Board. He studied English Literature at Istanbul University. A self-exile after the military coup in 1980, he spent four years in Saudi Arabia with his wife Füsun and their daughter Barış, teaching English. A dramaturg at Istanbul City Theater since 1991, he has acted on stage and screen and directed some of his plays. He proposed World Poetry Day in 1997 which was accepted by PEN International and declared by UNESCO as the 21st of March. His translations into Turkish include works by Samuel Beckett, Vaclav Havel and Arthur Miller. His works include The Nightmare of a Labyrinth (mosaic of poems and stories), and How’s your slavery goin’? His Oluşmak (To Become), a “life guide for myself,” includes ideas from world wisdom of the past four millennia. He has recently initiated the Earth Civilization Project with the support of several intellectuals from various parts of the planet.
“Halt!” said Goddess.
“Who’s there? Friend or foe?”
“Your friend Satan.”
“Why do you want to talk in private?”
asked Goddess.
Satan showed Her
a roll of blank toilet paper:
“Red alert! Look at this intelligence report:
There are weapons of mass destruction!
If you don’t create a universe,
your charisma will collapse
with the holy stock-market. We’re
sick ‘n tired of passing time among ourselves
under the Tree of Life. Is this life?
Unemployment is sky-rocketing. Beware:
Your kingdom may become a republic.
Some angels are hiding weapons.
My hope is still in you. Courage,
my friend. You can do it. If I am partly you,
you are partly me, too.”
Goddess thought aside:
“Satan’s words have darkened my soul.
A universe? Genesis? Easy for verse. I have
neither a sample nor a role-model.
What if he’s provoking me for his fantasies?
What if the universe turns out to be bad?
He’s my only critic –so far.
Should I refrain for ever? But then
my kingdom might survive no longer.
Intelligence reports.
Should I consult the angels? But then
they’d think I’m weak.
Democracy is demoncracy.
Enough of interpretation; time for action.
Oh dear, I smell a fight. Fear? An apprentice,
I’ll improvise: First,
an empty stage. Let there be light!”
*
