3
There was music veneration
on the planet Orynus.
The inhabitants
frequently organized
vocal interpretation tournaments.
The best of them was mute,
his songs were performed
by a computer
he was carrying in his mouth.
If you surprised him
with a question,
the champion of voice answered
with signs.
(Pe planeta Orynus
exista un cult pentru muzica
si locuitorii ei
organizau adesea
turniruri de interpretare vocala.
Cel mai bun dintre ei era mut,
ariile i le canta
un microprocesor electronic
pe care il purta in gura.
Daca il surprindeai
cu vreo intrebare,
campionul vocii iti raspundea
prin semne.)
The poem above, conceived in 1980s as another halt of Spaceman Sazartinus
in the Universe, has represented an allusion to the last communist dictator
in Romania. Proclaimed by national mass media as the first expert in all
fields (especially in morality, futurity, economy and architecture) and
presented as the greatest personality in history of this country (more
important than the former Romanian leaders who defended Europe at the
Danube River against the Ottoman Empire, more important than so many
artists and scientists, as in an absurd, atemporal competition), he was in fact
quasi-analphabet. His “genial speeches” (“favorite music of the nation”) were
prepared by an army of specialists in propaganda. Thus, the people were also
finding about “excellent results” (under his “wise guidance”) in industry,
agriculture, (atheist) education, and even demography! That because in
Romania, the women were obligatorily controlled every month if they are
pregnant, in order to assure a good production of children.
That brutal intervention in the Romanian couples’ life made me imagine
sometimes an ideal love, like in the next poem of Sazartinus’ Diary:
Once an electrical humanoid
lived on a planet.
He was reserved and unhappy -
if he touched an object,
an electrical disaster happened.
But, one day,
an electrical woman
of opposite sign
appeared on his way.
Both gazed electrically,
understanding they were saved.
Their electrical feelings burst out
into the most tender,
emotional and passionate
embrace that ever existed.
The same day they died,
and their electrical souls
went to the land
inaccessible to the living sensations,
making this marvelous marriage
to last forever.
(Traia pe o planeta un
umanoid electric
nefericit si retinut –
orice obiect ar fi atins
s-ar fi produs un cataclism electric.
Dar, intr-o zi,
s-a ivit in calea lui
o frumoasa umanoida electrica
de semn opus.
Cei doi s-au privit electric,
intelegand ca sunt salvati.
Sentimentele lor electrice
au rabufnit in cea mai
tandra, emotionanta si disperata
imbratisare ce a existat vreodata.
Au murit in aceeasi zi
si sufletele lor electrice
s-au dus in tara
inaccesibila simturilor vii,
permanentizand acolo minunata
casatorie electrica.)
As many other people, sometimes I wondered
if the speed of light is a limit in the Universe. But, till the speed of light,
the people could not elementarily see light under communist dictatorship
in Romania. Freedom of expression and freedom of creation were
excluded. Writers, poets and artists had to praise only “the light years”
of the communist era.
However, many Romanians never ceased to dream of
a flight with the speed of light, in which they to defeat the dark oppressors.
Ones of them, more impetuous, became martyrs (the communist regime
killing in this country, between 1948 and 1989, hundreds of thousands
of people, many others spending a lot of years in frightful politic prisons…)
My secret SF character, Spaceman Sazartinus,
could not remain indifferent…
Filled with joy was
tough Seljo,
he made himself
some flying boots
which carried him as fast
as if he were a star beam.
Filled with joy was
the cosmic hunter,
it was so easy
to reach his prey!
He saw a cluster of space freaks
and shot his weapon.
Then he plunged towards them.
Oh, Seljo,
how could you forget…?
In that frenzy,
he reached
his own slower bullets
and caught them
in his astonished chest.
Now the hunter is fluttering
like a rag
hanged to
the speed of light.
(Se bucura
aprigul Seljo,
isi construise
niste cizme zburatoare
ce-l purtau iute
ca raza unei stele.
Se bucura
vanatorul cosmic,
putea mai usor
sa-si ajunga prada.
Vazu un grup de dihanii spatiale
si isi descarca arma.
Apoi se lansa spre ele.
O, Seljo,
cum ai putut sa uiti?
In acea incrancenare,
ajunse din urma
incetele gloante
si le prinse
in pieptul sau mirat.
Flutura acum vanatorul
ca o batista
atarnata
de viteza luminii.)