THE CIVILIZED PLANET
(from Spaceman Sazartinus’ Diary)

Cosmopoetic Fantasy by Andrei Dorian Gheorghe
(composed in April 1985)
Images and Design by Gabriel Ivanescu
 

1

There was a civilized planet,
with a civilized orbit
and civilized phenomena.

Its inhabitants talked civilized,
gladdened civilized
and loved civilized.

Even when they killed one another,
this happened with
elementary apologizes.

2

Criminals and victims
smiled civilized
during the critical moments -
apogee of their
impenetrable consciousnesses.

3

Their love excluded suffering,
uncertainty, exaltation and despair.

They used to say:
“I want you”,
and all became perfect
like the overlap
of two circles.

4

Dramas, literature and feature films on that planet
contained decent dialogues
about daily activities,
sculpture and painting
showed polite gestures,
and music represented
a stereotype tempo.

They resolutely excommunicated
Poetry -
fatality of existence,
flag of emotion,
prologue of pandemonium.

5

Fishes came with the tap water
and jumped directly to their frying pans,
birds never tired them
through disagreeable warbles,
ferocious beasts kneeled humble
face to face with them -

instincts educated
by the fascination of civilization.

6

If one of them
had problems of health,
it was too primitive for them
to give the first aid.

It was also extremely tiresome
to call an ambulance.

So they phoned directly
to the morgue.

7

Spending their evenings
in quiet parks,
they used to say:
“It is so good
we are civilized!”

Over them,
meteors performed
gracious reverences,
and satellites offered
a subdued, trained light.

8

Any indignation
would have been absurd.

The wild person
would have been transported
in a civilized manner
to the scaffold,
in order to receive
the civilized caress
of the rope.

And they would have remained the same,
proud and serene
in their superior
understanding of the world.

 ROMANIAN ORIGINAL VERSION

1

Era o planeta civilizata,
cu o orbita civilizata
si fenomene civilizate.

Locuitorii ei isi vorbeau mereu civilizat,
se bucurau civilizat
si se iubeau civilizat.

Chiar si cand se omorau intre ei,
aceasta se intampla
cu scuzele de rigoare.

2

Criminal si victima
isi zambeau civilizat
in clipa despartirii -
paroxim al unor constiinte
impenetrabile.

3

Iubirea lor excludea suferinta,
indoiala, exaltarea si disperarea.

Isi spuneau simplu:
“Te vreau”
si totul devenea perfect
precum suprapunerea
a doua cercuri.

4

Teatrul, literatura si filmele lor
contineau dialoguri decente
despre activitatile zilnice,
sculptura si pictura
infatisau gesturi politicoase,
iar muzica lor era
un ritm stereotip.

Excomunicasera cu fermitate
Poezia -
fatalitate a existentei,
stindard al emotiei,
prolog al degringoladei.

5

Pestii le veneau cu apa robinetelor
si sareau direct in tigaie,
pasarile nu-i oboseau niciodata
cu trilurile lor nesuferite,
animalele cele mai fioroase
ingenuncheau cuminti cand ii vedeau -

instincte inmuiate
sub fascinatia civilizatiei.

6

Daca vreunul din ei
avea probleme de sanatate,
nu se puteau preta la primarul instinct
de a-i acorda primul ajutor.

Era de asemenea prea obositor
sa cheme o ambulanta.

Asa ca ridicau receptorul
si sunau direct morga.

7

Uneori, seara,
se plimbau prin parcuri linistite
si rosteau:
“Ce bine ca suntem
atat de civilizati!”

Deasupra lor,
meteorii executau
gratioase reverente,
iar satelitii aruncau
o lumina constanta, dresata.

8

Ar fi fost absurda
orice indignare.

Pe salbatic
l-ar fi condus
civilizat
la esafod,
unde i-ar fi daruit
mangaierea civilizata
a funiei.

Iar ei nici n-ar fi clipit,
mandri si impacati
in superioara lor
intelegere a lumii.

 © 2008 SARM
(Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy)