Tuesday, May 24, 2011

THE BODY: IMAGE AND WORD




How do images of the body fuse with the inner meaning of the song ? There song is a primordial expression of a poetic vision of reality, but this song moves into dance. The rhythms of the song, accompanied by the beating of the drum, the striking of the cymbals, and the clapping of hands, suddenly bursts into movement. This movement is the embodiment of song in life. It is the beginning of gesture, word made visible by the body.

During the workshop we reflected on the images of the body that are to be found in the poems of Kabir. This is a very rich source of the visual metaphor, embedded in the very sound and meaning of the words that Kabir uses.

Oh wise ones!

This body is a splendid Tambura.

Tighten the strings, twist the pegs,

And it sings the song of the Lord.

The strings snap, the pegs lie scattered

The sweetness has turned to dust.

Don’t cling in vain to this body.

Its swan has flown away.

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