Buy book one, Traitor Comet! Finally Genica and Artaud emerged, carelessly dressed and uncombed and dragging their bags, though I noticed Artaud had taken the time to shave. He was always impeccably clean-shaven, every day, even when he wandered homeless around Paris. He trudged up to Desnos. “Can we go,” he snapped, “so IContinue reading “From Book 1: Hurl his Soul”
Author Archives: nonpersonne
From Book 1: Drowning a Mouse
Buy book one, Traitor Comet! Justine laid Artaud’s head in her lap and as his arms slipped around her, her fingers stole into his long hair, stroking it longingly. “Tell me that you won’t cut it,” she pleaded. “I must,” he groaned. “I am going back to my parents’ house this week forContinue reading “From Book 1: Drowning a Mouse”
From Book 3: Balthus and Laudanum
In June, 1934 Balthus attempted suicide and Artaud found him. Previous scene here. Valentine Hugo trailed me to the door and exchanged some more meaningless pleasantries with me while I kept backing away. When I finally reached the street, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was far from Montparnasse but I decided to stopContinue reading “From Book 3: Balthus and Laudanum”
From Book 3: Portrait of Antonin Artaud
This is based on research of course, but it’s eerie how much I guessed before it was confirmed by research. He was not what I expected, even after all these years. I discovered there was always more to learn about Antonin Artaud. Like me he experienced sudden vertigo, especially at high places but alsoContinue reading “From Book 3: Portrait of Antonin Artaud”
From Book 4: Breaking into Sainte-Anne
I pulled her along with me then. An idea, Yvonne had given me an idea. Yvonne followed me all the way to the rue Fontaine, a long walk. “Are we going to see Aube?” she asked eagerly. I nodded and we entered the familiar foyer and went up the steps to Breton’s apartment. AubeContinue reading “From Book 4: Breaking into Sainte-Anne”
From Book 1: Poems into Plowshares
Buy book one, Traitor Comet! Finally he finished, rolled up his rug and stood up, his face collapsing into brown wrinkles as he smiled. He nodded to me, and reached out to playfully slap Artaud’s cheek, again startling the young man. “Peace be with you both!” the Muslim cried, and slipped into the crowd.Continue reading “From Book 1: Poems into Plowshares”
Book 3: Desnos Meets Aube
Author’s note: Many scenes and situations in this series are fictionalized to bring out certain facts and themes. There is no evidence that Robert Desnos ever met Andre Breton’s infant daughter Aube. It is October, 1936 and Artaud is still in Mexico. Jacqueline Lamba and her husband have quarreled and Jacqueline left for a time.Continue reading “Book 3: Desnos Meets Aube”
From Book 4: Domnine
I understand that Paule Thévenin’s daughter Domnine is still alive. This section is offered with respect and affection. “Do you know what Artaud is doing now?” Breton told me. “He is learning his ABCs.” “What?” “He feared he could not write anymore, and he said this to Paule Thévenin and her husband inContinue reading “From Book 4: Domnine”
From Book 1: Skip Blithely
Buy book one, Traitor Comet! As soon as everyone had dressed and swallowed some coffee we went for a walk along the road. It skirted the forest, which was cool and dark with a thick undergrowth and massive trunks, and eventually it wound around among rolling hills, where we looked out at seemingly endless fieldsContinue reading “From Book 1: Skip Blithely”
From Book 4: Resistance
This section presented in its entirety. Let us never forget those who fought so others could be free. In the protection of a dry creek bed we gobbled our tepid rations and leaned against the embankment in shifts to nap. “How’s your ankle, soldier?” Raymond asked me for the hundredth time as he lappedContinue reading “From Book 4: Resistance”