Victory.

"November 2 will be the 30th anniversary of the death of Pier Paolo Pasolini," writes Doug Ireland, "and to commemorate his disappearance, DIRELAND is proud to publish here, for the first time ever in an English translation, a major Pasolini poem, 'Victory.'"

The poem is translated by Norman MacAfee, a poet and author himself, who also introduces the poem, first telling the story behind "an image that sums up Pasolini's approach to culture and history" and declaring "Victory" Pasolini's "Pasolini's last great poem. As he wrote it, he was making The Gospel According to Matthew; his attention shifted to filmmaking and the poems became sketchy." Then, after a few final notes, he unleashes the poem itself.

Pretty powerful stuff. Who now is writing poems, singing songs or making films with the fury of Pasolini's "j'accuse!" even as, at the same time, he mourns and celebrates?

Posted by dwhudson at October 27, 2005 1:28 PM