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 Weltschmerz

 
It is the task of the living to honor and celebrate the dead. They leave us gifts and we are grateful. We miss them and keep them alive in our hearts. Today is the birthday of the late G.P. Skratz (April 23, 1948 – June 6, 2023), prolific poet, bard, songwriter, performance artist, and translator, beloved for his big unique laughter.


At the recent memorial for him, on Sunday, April 14, I re-meet colleagues and friends I had not seen in 30 or 40 years. What a time warp. From the table of giveaways, I take a small turquoise paper square (3’’ x 3’’). Once at home, I unfold the mystery:

 

Words by gp skratz, paper art by Linda Lemon

 

This poem, called Weltschmerz, appears in three dimensions, three lines, ending in a question. Here I feel the late Linda Lemon, artist and partner of GP Skratz for several decades. Here, her paper art is combined with Skratz’s words – beautiful and simple. Linda died on March 8, 2024.

 


In honor of each of them, their art and lives, I share this little gem of a poem – it reveals Skratz’s metaphysical side. His work, in general, is always playful, hilarious, satirical, enigmatic, far out.



Weltschmerz is what all of us are feeling these days, the deep sorrow over senseless suffering and cruelty, here and abroad. The many worldwide wars, refugee crises, and famines accumulating, the bewildering acceleration of existential threat to all on this planet. Human confusion abounds everywhere. Can anything save us from ourselves? Can justice prevail? Will chaos engulf us? So many questions.



The “unseen heart” – speaks to me, quietly. How difficult it is for us humans to share and bare our heart honestly, to let our feelings flow, to feel our pain, our vulnerability, to let the heart be seen. We hold tight. So wounded we are. Our unknown wounds keep wounding others. Rarely do we dare to let our tears, caring, appreciation, gratitude flow…. 


Weltschmerz – by g p skratz

 

from what wound oozeth this

abstract blood of time –­ cause and effect

the unseen heart & what does staunch the flow?

 

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/eastbaytimes/name/michael-chervenak-obituary?id=54030766

 

PS: GP Skratz and his work reminds me of some of the German Romantic poets, satirists, cabaret performers, and artist around the beginning of the 20th century. I was one of many who would receive over the years postcards from Skratz with enigmatic shards of poems, and I would respond via postcards with my own words, often using German since he was such an admirer of the German poets Joachim Ringelnatz (1883 – 1934), and Christian Morgenstern (1871 – 1914) who both had a subversive bent and aversion to authoritarianism. Skratz, the rebel of his own making. Sometimes he asked for a good translation of this or that word. I hear him laugh; I smile... thank you....


Only art, poetry, music, dance, and laughter can console us, am I right?


Comments

  1. SummerApril 26, 2024 at 8:39 AM

    We shared that Sunday afternoon at Skratz's celebration, and I too took various offerings from the table of his and Linda's work....but not the turquoise gem. It's fantastic: the poem, the paper, and your comments! Thank you....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alex KMay 2, 2024 at 5:37 PM

    What a beautiful entry and memoriam. Full of the spirit of honoring. Wakes in me the heart. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete

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