aryan kaganof : midsummer in the death camp (for bo cavefors)

aryan kaganof
midsummer in the death camp (for bo cavefors)



it was a wonderful night in the death camp


everybody wore makeup, even the very


old men had their faces white with


powder and their lips so thickly


painted that they left left lip-


stick traces all over the


ground when they


tried to kiss the


boots of the


young


maidens


the music


playing was


harsh electronics


the instruments were


bones pulled out of the


incinerator, scratched rhythmically


with necklaces made out of teeth in


order to provide a beat for the melodies


that were stretched out on hair. occasionally


a solemn faced virgin would swell with delight


when she recognized a familiar tune, or some teeth


from a friend, and then, briefly, she would try to jig, but


most of the virgins were too weak for that. it was a wonderful


night in the death camp, the weather was fine and even the stench


wasn’t as bad as usual, considering the temperature. unfortunately i


had to work. i was editing letters that my fellow inmates were sending


to their mothers and fathers back home, making sure that they weren’t


trying to falsify any evidence about the conditions we lived under. making


sure that nothing hostile was written about our glorious leaders.


although i felt sad not to be taking part in the festivities


i was secretly proud of myself


after all i had volunteered


to join the fra


after all


i’ve


got


nothing


to hide


do you?




June 20, 2008

Action from Qualis Artifex Pereo
Performers: X, Y and Bo I. Cavefors
Photo: Aryan Kaganof