onsdag, november 10, 2010

A myth called Prague

"Franz Kafka was born into a myth called Prague."

"Imagine a childhood where the I is an enigma and the community is entelechy. A home laid siege to by dead brothers, distant sisters, cold governesses and a caustic cook. A world seen through a veil of fear and guilt..."

These were introductory words that greeted me as a visitor to Franz Kafka Museum in the Czech capital of Prague. The past life of a restless soul, restored in this space to full immediacy and actuality, at once appeared vivid and came to seep into my inner consciousness when I was promptly struck by Kafka's perceived hypersensitive temperament at display here. By his own admission: in this city, every breath was felt to be uncertain. Again, what an actuality for me as well. Upon reading this line from his notebook: "a cage went in search of a bird", I started to wonder if I were in truth a butterfly who forgot my previous life?

I don't think I'll ever know.

Family letter handwritten by Kafka to his father:


onsdag, november 03, 2010

Deuxième printemps

"L'automne est un deuxième printemps où chaque feuille est une fleur." J'avoue que je n'en connaissais pas la source, ni l'auteur, mais j'ai toujours adoré cette citation. Après des recherches rapides sur le net, on peut constater qu'elle est partout attribuée à Albert Camus. Si c'est vrai, dans son écrit Camus me paraît être un vrai poète.