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That old Pugditch tome,
Evolution For Immortals, remember?
Biggest seller of the age?
No? I’ll remind you.
It taught eternals to undergo
severe brain injuries to:
• wipe memory,
• see life afresh,
• and relieve a little of the boredom,
that bane of perpetual life.

These self-harms became popular—
and mutilation routine—
leading to innovations in evermore
creative and maiming modes of self-renewal.

Then, topping the lot—and do stop me
when this sounds familiar—
a technique was invented:
complete disintegration, followed by growth
within—and birth from—the body of another.
This method caught on, became
widespread, in fact, till everyone forgot
it was self-mutilation.

Jog any memories?
Fine, go on banging those heads of yours
in uteri and on labia
for a thousand more lives—
see if that knocks any sense into you!



Soren James is a writer and visual artist who recreates himself on a daily basis from the materials at his disposal, continuing to do so in an upbeat manner until sumptuously throwing his drained materials aside to resume a stillness without asking why. More of his work can be seen here: https://sorenjames.wordpress.com
Current Issue
22 Apr 2024

We’d been on holiday at the Shoon Sea only three days when the incident occurred. Dr. Gar had been staying there a few months for medical research and had urged me and my friend Shooshooey to visit.
...
Tu enfiles longuement la chemise des murs,/ tout comme d’autres le font avec la chemise de la mort.
The little monster was not born like a human child, yelling with cold and terror as he left his mother’s womb. He had come to life little by little, on the high, three-legged bench. When his eyes had opened, they met the eyes of the broad-shouldered sculptor, watching them tenderly.
Le petit monstre n’était pas né comme un enfant des hommes, criant de froid et de terreur au sortir du ventre maternel. Il avait pris vie peu à peu, sur la haute selle à trois pieds, et quand ses yeux s’étaient ouverts, ils avaient rencontré ceux du sculpteur aux larges épaules, qui le regardaient tendrement.
We're delighted to welcome Nat Paterson to the blog, to tell us more about his translation of Léopold Chauveau's story 'The Little Monster'/ 'Le Petit Monstre', which appears in our April 2024 issue.
For a long time now you’ve put on the shirt of the walls,/just as others might put on a shroud.
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