Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Der Himmel über Berlin



Film still: Wim Wenders
"One day.. It must finally become serious.
I’v often been alone…
but i’v never lived alone.
when I was with someone, I was often happy.
But at the time, it all seemed a coincidence.
These people were my parents.
But it could have been others.
Why was this brown-eyed girl my sister…
and not the green-eyed girl on the opposite of the platform?
The taxi drivers’ son was my friend.
But I might as well have put my arm around a dog’s neck.
I was with a woman…
In Love…
and I might as well have left her there…
and gone off with the stranger I met in the street.
Look at me or don’t.
Give me your hand or don’t.
No.
Don’t give me your hand, and look away.
I think tonight is the new moon.
No night more peaceful.
No bloodshed in all the city.
I’v never played with anyone…
and yet i’v never opened my eyes and thought:
Now it’s serious.
At last it’s becoming serious.
So i’v grown older.
Was I the only one who wasn’t serious?
Is it our times that are not serious?
I was never lonely…
Neither when I was alone, nor with others.
But I would have liked to be alone at last.
Loneliness means i’m finally whole.
Now I can say it..
as tonight I’m at last alone.
I must put an end to coincidence.
The new moon of decision.
I don’t know if there’s destiny…
but theres a decision.
Decide!
We are now the times.
Not only the whole town…
the whole world is taking part in our decision.
We two are now more than us two.
We are Incarnate something.
Were representing the people now…
and the whole place is full of those..
who are dreaming the same dream.
We are deciding everyone’s game.
I am ready.
Now…
Its your turn.
You hold the game in your hand.
Now…
or Never.
You need me.
You will need me.
There is no greater story than ours…
that of man and woman.
It will be a story of giants…
Invisible…
Transposable…
a story of new ancestors.
Look,
My eyes…
they are the picture of necessity…
of the future of everyone in the place.
Last night…
I dreamt of a stranger…
of my woman.
Only with her could I be alone…
Open up to her.
wholly open, wholly for her.
Welcome her wholly into me…
Surrounded by the labyrinth…
of shared happiness.
I know…
It’s you."

M

Wings of Desire/Der Himmel über Berlin

*** (A must-see)
Directed by Wim Wenders
Written by Wenders and Peter Handke
With Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois, and Peter Falk.

They all have weary mouths,

bright souls without a seam,

And a yearning (as for sin)

often haunts their dream.

–Rainer Maria Rilke, “The Angels”

9 comments:

M.Ac said...

:)))
I love it.
Sounds like a story.
What's the difference between a short story and a poem?


I really don't know sometimes :).

diane said...

I'm glad :)
It's actually the ending monologue of the film 'Wings of Desire'

I'm not a writer so I have the luxury of no rules however, typically a story is of any narrative with a beginning a middle and an end which can be read in a short time. A poem can be written in stanzas and rhythm like a song, in rhyme one way or another and not always in the obvious way which I suppose can blur the lines of narrative and classic rhythm scheme and blurring the lines is half the fun :)

M.Ac said...

What you say makes sense, but I am not fully convinced :).

Sometimes I read poems that sound like stories an stories that sound like poetry.
Sometimes I write a poem and i think that what I'm writting could be just prose but I insist to split it into sentences more or less the same dimension, and I put them in a colum :).

I have to think about it a bit more. :)
I'm engineer. So happily far from any given rule for writers :).

diane said...

I agree that every device in art comes from some sort of story. I say write what's in your heart there's really no right or wrong. Although, I'm not an authority of the subject in fact it amazes me sometimes that I would post something for public consumption as little as I know but then again I have but maybe three or four readers ;))))

M.Ac said...

Three or four readers :)) that's more that I need :).

Another question would be... imagine that you put one of your poems in a book that thousands of readers are waiting for, because the writter is famous...
What would happen?

How does the context affect to poetry, paintings, art in general?

I wonder :))

diane said...

I don't know if I understand, am I the writer who is famous? Am I a guest writer? Either way it makes no difference,perhaps I would have it proof read or something however, I really only write for myself and another in which they are never read.

I do appreciate the encouragement you have given me in the past though. You make me feel I have something say, not a whole lot of people in my life who feel that.

M.Ac said...

I mean that you post a poem in a place where just three readers get in.

But..
What would happen if the same poem, your poem, is posted in a place where thousands will read it?
Imagine you can post in in a super popular blog...
Imagine you can post some of your pictures in a huge exhibition... Would they say that your pictures aren't good enough to be there? Or they would say they are great :) Amazing!! :).

The same pictures come back to your blog or to mine and you have three observing...

Diane, I enjoy listening what you have to say. It is always a gift when you write a message back.

Thanks.

diane said...

Oh...well, that would be huge and I'd like to think it would be for all those people as well:)
Never go into something thinking you can fail right? xoxoxo

Thank you Migue, you're very cool! I have to get dolled up for a birthday party tonight, have a great weekend!

Vesna said...

You reminded me of Wim Wenders, I really want to see some of his movies again:) Rilke is always special. Beutiful inspiration my dear Diane
hugs,
xxx