Altered States

Nach dem Regen - After the Rain 24 x 20 cm

SINFONIA

Luciano Berio’s “Sinfonia”

could be listened to as a Da-Da tone poem,

a bewildering, inspired, irreducible

Modernist confection

or as a witty, deeply

sophisticated sub-species of schizophrenia

dictated to the composer by the spirit of madness.

How sane am I today?—the music seems

to be asking you—How sane is anybody…any day?

Collateral 

damage from the past washes up     

and it’s Oh Christ, what do we do now?

A new colleague approaches you, says  ”Look, I’m growing my beard,

feels great, going to the gym twice a week, feels great, my name’s

Chris, by the way.” He’s clean-shaven with bits of TP stuck

to his razor cuts. So, like, where’s the beard, dude? Is just one of

several questions you would like to ask him if you weren’t   

backing out the door as if under attack. You are wandering

through the souks of North Africa in the midst of a

scratch n’ sniff system of hash, incense, musky perfumes, wood smoke.

People are smiling, joking, talking fast as they walk backwards,

talking backwards as they walk fast, taking time to caress

a camel hair doo-dad, shop for magic spells, greet a cobra. It’s so pre-rational!

In just a week you’ll be discussing the Value Added Tax with a client  

or doing the crossword, impatient, irritated. And yet your life has changed.

Maybe you will grow a beard. Cast a spell on your secretary. Start a rug collection.

L. Berio - Sinfonia

Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam