Metaphors For Abandonment

Metaphors for abandonment: exploring urban ruins. Excellent post over at Rosemary Lombard's fleurmach.

Victoria Williams: 0175

The nights are much longer now that I’ve started drinking again. But what to do with the new hours – I still haven’t found a satisfying answer...

Max Moodley: 0068

Sun Waster by Gary Cummiskey

Eva Jackson: 0021

Demonstration

We looked up from the dune at the undersea club,
Sunk in the stretch of sand frequented by white people:
No deeper tan.
He had given away the embroidery ring
Used to demonstrate the tool to others. They wanted that as well.
The commodity was a small needle
Crafted with a bronze spring
Which you push into the thick linen, tufted in places, which he held in place
Over the margarine tub.
The back of the eye is the front of the needle: put it into the cloth the wrong way
And your whole project unravels, picks itself
Back to the start.

Internet Sentences: 0013

I like people for what they are and not for what they are not.

Source: Junk Mail

Victoria Williams: 0174

If it was just in my head it would be fine, but it’s in yours as well... said the man on the bus.

A Note From Alan Finlay And Paul Wessels, Editors Of The donga Anthology

it’s been a while… so much has happened… we’ve seen god, we’ve seen the alpha and the omega… paul beat mr death at his own game… so did stacy years later… alan holds out against the city folk… lionel and mark didn’t make it… the mud that caked our ankles has long since crumbled to sand and lies now like mementos of a long forgotten past on our unswept floors…  we returned to the dugout a time ago, no sign of the lean-to, the ashes in the fire pit long blown away to reveal the grey earth of countless catfish braais… the wind caressed us, carrying off our tears as we turned to leave that place forever, having now gathered the words…

lionel abrahams
robert berold
lauren beukes
nadine botha
toast coetzer
gary cummiskey
jané dowd
clinton v du plessis
quen emmenes
graeme feltham
richard fox
stacy hardy
august highland
stephen hofstätter
aryan kaganof
chris kraus
bernat kruger
greg latter
arthur mafokate
dawie malan
joan metelerkamp
ike mboneni muila
pravasan pillay
leonhard praeg
lesego rampolokeng
arja salafranca
kelwyn sole
bill stobb
rayno van rooi
ivan vladislavić
paul wessels
stu woolman

apologies to those who do not appear in the anthology. no hard feelings. gary from dye hard and allan from botsotso bankrolled the project and we gratefully squeezed in as much as we could. maybe next time…

I Only Have Eyes For You by Gary Cummiskey

Eva Jackson: 0020

All the wireless connections
Are washed up onscreen suddenly multiplied
Like flotsam and jetsam, after a night tide and I
Think of you.

Internet Sentences: 0012

I bring to you a proposal worth $ 9,000,000,000.00 (Nine Billion United State Dollars) which i intend to use for CHARITY.

Source: Junk Mail

Victoria Williams: 0173

He says: can we cut to the chase? It’s painful to keep batting my eyelids at you like this.

Spaza: 0010

Click on photo to enlarge

Another example of a spaza constructed from corrugated sheeting. The scrap metal on top of the spaza helps to prevent the roof from being blown away by the wind.

Drawing Nineteen January-2002 by Gary Cummiskey

Eva Jackson: 0019

Internal therapist

I’m making a salad.
-Why?
Because it’s healthy.
-Why else?
Because, I’m hungry.
-Why else?
Because I’m copying someone else.
-Why?
We’re not going there.

Internet Sentences: 0011

I Will Prove Who is the Best in the World! This is huge news.

Source: Junk Mail

Victoria Williams: 0172

It’s what he would have wanted, as any ghost will tell you, is a phrase extremely overused by the living.

Spaza: 0009

Click on photos to enlarge. 

Spazas are typically housed in prefabricated or repurposed structures - e.g. the shipping container from a few weeks ago. Here we see examples of original constructions, spazas built from corrugated metal sheeting. Metal sheeting is arguably the most important building material in South Africa - both in townships and so-called informal settlements, where it is used to build shacks. Much like shacks, spazas built from sheeting range in size and design.

Drawing Eighteen January-2002 by Gary Cummiskey

Eva Jackson: 0018

Writing in a small notebook from Japan
uCele ucambalele ocansini ecabanga icebo lokuciba ucilo eceleni ngocingo olucijile.
uCele ucambalele ocansini, he sleeps on a mat, planning to shoot
A little bird
In the side
With a sharpened wire.

Internet Sentences: 0010

Email Us For A Loan Toady.

Source: Junk Mail

Victoria Williams: 0171

Bus Experiences: The rain outside, the steam on the bus, the warmth of a stranger’s thighs.