Remember

~ Mia Pharaoh

Swan, 2017 — Louis Carreon

 

Remember


You enticed with your light
Refused capture in silhouette
Front and center, full throttle
Even the pitch-black feared
The luminescent evil you exuded
Your siren pose
Plié between 3rd and 4th
Positioned your patrons perfectly
Your featureless face
Twisted smile of demeanor:
Paris under the occupation
Cruel tilt to a coveted almond shape
The pulp, bitter and biting
Hid your two left feet well
As it did your religion
Your own form of high yellow:
The Gentile Ashkenazi
You, Eva Braun and Stella Kübler
Kissing cousins
Thought no one would know
The repulsion of caustic betrayal

 

“Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.”
— Arthur Miller


Marlon Brando – “Paul Monologue Last Tango in Paris”

 

Copyright © 2018 Mia Pharaoh. All rights reserved.

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94 thoughts on “Remember”

  2. Perfect painting to go with the poem. Biting, poignant — so much evil against the innocent. It’s been a long time since I saw Last Tango in Paris.

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    1. Hi Tim, I thought the painting was perfect too. Beyond sad, “evil against the innocent”, it can be hard, even impossible to comprehend and reconcile. “Last Tango” is definitely on my top ten list. I will usually watch it once every couple of years. There’s so much more to the movie than what you see, and of course it has always been controversial. I wish for a different ending every time.

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      1. It’s been years since I’ve seen “Last Tango” but then’s it’s been two maybe three years since I watched a movie. One of the last movies I saw that I loved is “Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life”. Did you see it? Did I already recommend it to you?

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          1. We found Gainsbourg’s grave in the Cimetière du Montparnasse in Paris when we were there in May 2015. I thought I did a post on the cemetery, but I can’t find it. Gainsbourg’s grave was very unassuming other than lots of lipstick kisses, flowers, metro tickets and candles left by adoring fans. The lead photo on a tribute to Paris I did in 2015 show kisses on Gainsbourg’s headstone. http://photos.tandlphotos.com/blog/2015/11/for-the-love-of-paris

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      1. I was trying to write an intro to the thing I’ve finished – an intro they say is important – when I gave up and visited WP. That’s when I picked up on this post with a million metaphors and gave up on my intro for the day. It is ‘art, art, art’ on three levels ~ JGC

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  5. Raw honesty, brutal truth. Feels very personal and targeted – an artistic triumph. And the painting and film clip are perfect. You have an amazing gift, Mia! 💗

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    1. “Brutal truths”, I think the worst kind of truths are brutal, the ones everyone wants to avoid. I’m really happy that you thought the painting and the clip were a good fit. Thank you, Meg, for your lovely and generous words. 💗

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  7. We are all driven by survival. But self preservation at the cost of betrayal brings about something not worthy of preservation.

    I love that painting. And Marlon Brando . . . well, words are not necessary.

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    1. Stories, I so agree with you. It’s hard for me to think about the cost of betrayal in order to save oneself, that’s an impossible situation if you’re required to make a decision like that, while the cost of betrayal for profit is hard for me to even begin to comprehend. Louis Carreon’s work is terrific, “Last Tango in Paris”, I think is a brilliant film, we really get to see the man, Brando, and all of his vulnerabilities. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Please enjoy the rest of Monday! ~ Mia

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  8. I quite love your poems as I have to read through them, and require all four parts to understand the depth. There’s an initial meaning but also a meaning underneath.

    These women using their light, their beauty and skills for betrayel. But I think what worse is that their light is not light in the sense of good it’s “luminescent evil” used to move people and do things how they wanted, while the whole time they were using others and betraying them. The Hitler and WWII reference is powerful as Braun we know as Hitler’s mistress, who chooses suicide, rather then face up to the consequences of her actions ‘aiding & abetting’ in tyranny and the holicaust. Earlier you write how Braun and two other examples are following their “religion,” their “yellow” beliefs or cowardice. Their betrayal with their ‘false light’ hiding the monsters they were their “two left feet” and cowardly ways.

    The ‘gentile Ashkenazi’ a second set of Jews different the mainstream ones here, in Eastern Europe but also a paradox of sorts as ‘gentile’ or being a gentile in Biblical days met you were not a Jew and were often looked down upon. So perhaps, these Ashkenazi Jews were betraying true Jewish culture for one that was non-Jewish.

    Also, back to you WWII metaphor with the ‘occupation of Paris” and the terrible betrayel/cowardice of Stella Kübler, telling you the Gastapo where many Jews were hidden, resulting in the deaths of too many more Jewish people. Her and Braun as “kissing cousins,” sharing the same light or beauty that hid their inner evil.
    In the end I think you talk about how in the beginning, these women fooled themselves, as do all who betray and harm others, that what they were doing was just and right.

    Even though inside they knew better, their mass slaughter and harm was betrayel wrong and unforgivable. They ignored what they knew better, Betrayed Germany, betrayed the Jews, betrayed the world, chossing their sides. Light not for the sake of good, but twisted.

    In the end, the evil that grew inside of them was obvious & their legacy is betrayel. Choosing an easy death, not even choosing to face up to their crimes in Braun’s cause, probably Küblers too. They leave behind a memory of betrayal, evil, and mass murder. That’s their legacy. And that is “repulsive,” but it remains that their “caustic” betrayels are not forgotten and are still shameful in the modern world, as they were 75ish years ago.

    Deep piece. Hope all is well Mia.

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    1. Dear Amanda, thank you so much for taking the time to tie all the pieces together, and for writing such a fantastic comment.

      You’re absolutely right, these are not nice women, they definitely hid the monsters they were with their looks and their light. Using WWII as a back drop is perfect, Eva Braun and Stella Kübler held hands brilliantly with the “You”, along with the intentional use of “cousins” based on their looks.

      A lot of Jews lived as non-Jews (“U-boats”, they were coined) some/many converted to Christianity, becoming more Gentile. The “Gentile Ashkenazi” is my spin on the Ashkenazi that could pass for Aryan, because of their blonde hair and blue eyes, Nordic looks.

      You’ve summed it up nicely, some elect an easy death, and don’t face their crimes with the same conviction they had when they were committing them. Thankfully there are good people that live by their convictions and do the right thing, and do good for humanity. Betrayal is repulsive, and it’s “not forgotten” and remains “shameful” even today.

      Thank you again, Amanda, for your brilliant analysis of “Remember”. Likewise, I hope all is well with you. ~ Mia 🙂

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      1. You’re very welcome. I didn’t know that about the Ashkenazi. Ironic that they had blond hair and blue eyes and Hitler himself, as many of his generals, did not have light hair. I had never heard of Stella Kubler before I read about her yesterday. A piece of work herself. So far, the week has been going well. All the best 🙂

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  11. For some reason this reminded me of Bolano’s Nazi Literature in the Americas… not sure why, maybe the luminescent evil. Oh the disappointments of betrayal. Excellently put together, of course. I think Brando speaks for all men with the I could know for two hundred years and never understand you line.

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    1. I’m pleased, quite the connection. True, the disappointments of betrayal bring up some strong and powerful emotions, wonderful when they serve as inspiration for creativity and or change. An unsettling thought, can we ever really know the true nature of anyone other than ourselves? At times it’s questionable if we even know our own true nature and what we’re capable of. Thank you, Mr. Cake, for an always splendid comment. ~ Miss Cranes

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      1. Well I doubt that we really know our own true nature, which is really a set of masks, social constructs. But then again I think life is avant garde movie. As for evil, we all like to think that we wouldn’t do those things, but can we really tell? After all Hannah Arendt showed us the banality of evil. Thank you for your too kind words Miss Cranes, you know how my mind wanders.

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        1. You’ve got me wondering about social constructs and if they are for our own protection or more debilitating to our intellectual drive to know the limitlessness of our absolute true self/true nature. Now I wonder if there really is an absolute. We can certainly speculate from the sidelines as to what we would and wouldn’t do, who really knows until we find ourselves in such a situation, and have to make despicable decisions. I’m petty sure we hope that we would be selfless in our decisions. Fortunately it’s an avant-garde movie and not a postmodern film. Here’s to wandering, Mr. Cake.

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          1. Thank god it is avant garde and not the dreaded post modern variety. The price of civilisation is its discontents… repressing our true nature is part of the package, which results in a tension between society and our hidden natures. The more rationally organised a society, the greater possibility of an eruption of irrationally. People lie all the time, not to other people so much, but to themselves. Well I think that is enough philosophical pessimism for one day, fans of Pinker are calling me saying that life is on the up and up!

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  13. Mia, holy cow if you don’t mind me going that way. There is so much here and I love being forced to do some research to make sure I have my facts straight. I love the emotion and “bite” that comes through your poem. Awesome. Be well. -Chris

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          1. Thank you so much for the thought you are very pretty, I really appreciate it.
            I wish you too with affection.
            Love ❤

            Soul, xo

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    1. Thank you, David, love your comments.

      It’s the perpetual encore, the standing ovation, the clap of the absurd, all in support of the Repeat History Ballet Company, with choreographer Judas Priest, who by the way is in high demand, all the while world wide audiences are fitted with compulsory blinders, earplugs and bibs. Thank god for the exceptional exceptions that will drag themselves over broken glass, who will stand up against the roar of same old, same old, that’s the way we’ve always done it, and the crimes of humanity that must never be forgotten. Complacency will be trumped with understanding and compassion, vigilance is the key, where’s the door?

      Hope you’ve been well, David, have a terrific week ahead. ~ Mia

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  18. Hi Mia, I read this gripping amazing work of yours this week, but had to mull it over to comment. This kind of emotion is tectonic shifting and universal in scope, whether it be individual or societal. I read it, and shiver inside it is that powerful to me. Perhaps we can discuss this more sometime. In the meantime, the antidote is no doubt in that painting, and I think it goes with where we left off our last back and forth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5SIjyCtT0Y 🙂 Shavua Tov, Daniel

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    1. Hi Daniel, thank you for including the, “Face of Light”, very emotional. I know you will understand when I say, I’ve been writing this in my mind for a long time, then I came across the painting, “Swan”. Louis Carreon is an artist from my neck of the woods, the Rival Sons are too, odd coincidence. Are there really any coincidences? I think history tells us, “no”, it’s all intent, the bitter and the sweet. Sure, I would love to discuss this more, it has a lot going on, maybe some surface misdirection to soften the voice that tells a bitter story of a personal history. Thank you so much, Daniel, your comment is most heartfelt, thank you. Shantih. ~ Mia

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      1. Hi Mia, I agree no such thing as a coincidence, and that is particularly wonderful when the intent is sweet. Present association example A. 😉 I will reply to the Round Table conversation this week when I have a chance. In the meantime, I wish you a peaceful Monday onward. Daniel

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      1. It does. in fact, for many reasons, my entire world construction has broken down. Shattered. W/o exaggeration. What little sense there may have been to me has more or less gone.
        Somewhat scary.

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          1. 🙂 It is. There is a global destruction of sense everywhere. (Not to mention the Orange man). It could be a consequence of “deconstruction”, from Deleuze to Picasso. I guess once everything is torn down someone will have to pick up the pieces and start rebuilding? 🙂 There has to be some redemption somewhere…
            Enough dark thoughts. Sun is up here as I hope it is in your neck of the woods. There must be birds, and squirrels and butterflies. Enough for a bit of sense.
            Be good Mia

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    1. I completely agree with you, Brian. Their artwork is a window to their soul, and what makes them tick. My grandmother started exposing me to all things art when I was a very small child, and we would spend hours discussing how various forms of art affected us. You can probably tell I miss her tremendously. So really your posts are very special to me, especially the older photos that you share, along with your travels. Thank you. ~ Mia 🙂

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          1. You don’t. No worry. 🙂
            1913, Moscow? Hmmm. She would have been a hundred and five. My father was from 1918. Your grandmother must have lest Russia around 1917. Did she go straight to the US? Or spent some time in Europe? (What was her name?)

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          2. She did leave with her mother, her father followed. They met up in Berlin, and spent about 2 years there. While there they learned to speak English from an English woman. From Berlin they headed to the US. My great grandfather had a job waiting for him in Boston, he was an engineer and helped to build the Boston Gardens. Once that was completed they moved to New Haven Connecticut, where he worked for Lockheed, apparently knew many test pilots, one being Wiley Post. Her name was Mathilda.

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          3. Mathilda is a pretty name. The life of those generations was fascinating. You should write it down. Always useful for future generations. Did your grandmother pass Russian on to her children and/or grandchildren?

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          4. Very fascinating. My mother speaks practically no Russian. I studied for 2 years, and you know how youth can be, I squandered the opportunity to become fluent, especially silly because I had my grandmother to converse with. Definitely a regret as I look back.

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          6. Laughing to myself, I thought you might mention that. No, it’s never too late. I personally found the language to be difficult and never was fully comfortable so that with much disappointment it never became second nature. I found myself translating English to Russian and Russian to English instead of conversing in Russian only. I hope that makes a little bit of sense, the ability to speak without thinking about every word and agonizing over it. 🙂

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          9. Interesting, my grandparents didn’t speak Russian in the house, they only spoke English or French. If it was something they didn’t want my mother to understand they spoke in German. I believe it was not uncommon in those days to speak multiple languages, my grandmother 6+, I don’t know about my grandfather, I would imagine it to be similar.

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  21. Mia, I am flabbergasted at the power of this poem, the art, quote and clip. Having read through the comments, there is nothing more I can add other than to acknowledge that this is the height of pure Art that you have reached; deepening our understanding of humanity through the weaving of visions at once disparate and at once whole. So bold a demand to remember, and with your work, is not our shame that some have, that ANY who call themselves human have forgotten? Yet this story repeats and we beg for hope, on our knees praying for hope, while those of “faith” betray us with their seductive disguises. This time will be different, the loyal followers believe. This time, will not be different, for when one person has forgotten, when one person chooses to not believe in the capacity of horror that humanity is capable of, we lose. And there is always one. Thank you for your Art, Mia, thank you for this powerful work. And thank you for sharing it with us. — Stephen

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    1. Stephen, thank you for a spectacular and moving comment. I think Brando captured the sense of betrayal brilliantly in the clip, it’s devastating, we question ourselves and lose our footing becoming slightly ungrounded while ill will shakes our entire world. I agree it is our shame, our burden, our disgust when just one individual forgets or denies the events that took place and continue to take place. A black smudge on all of humanity, yet we must can never lose faith, or the voice to bring the past present in the form of a rememberence for the “horror that humanity is capable of”.

      Thank you again, Stephen., Wishing you a wonderful Tuesday. ~ Mia

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