Death Fugue by Paul Celan ..... Black milk of morning we drink you at dusktime we drink you at noontime and dawntime we drink you at night we drink and drink .... we scoop out a grave in the sky where it’s roomy to lie ..... There’s a man in this house who cultivates snakes and who writes who writes when it’s nightfall nach Deutschland your golden hair Margareta ....... he writes it and walks from the house and the stars all start flashing he whistles his dogs to draw near ....... whistles his Jews to appear starts us scooping a grave out of sand ...... he commands us to play for the dance ......... Black milk of morning we drink you at night we drink you at dawntime and noontime we drink you at dusktime we drink and drink ....... There’s a man in this house who cultivates snakes and who writes ....... who writes when it’s nightfall nach Deutschland your golden hair Margareta ......... your ashen hair Shulamite we scoop out a grave in the sky where it’s roomy to lie ........ He calls jab it deep in the soil you lot there you other men sing and play .......... he tugs at the sword in his belt he swings it his eyes are blue jab your spades deeper you men you other men you others play up again for the dance .............. Black milk of morning we drink you at night we drink you at noontime and dawntime we drink you at dusktime we drink and drink ............. there’s a man in this house your golden hair Margareta your ashen hair Shulamite he cultivates snakes ........... He calls play that death thing more sweetly Death is a gang-boss aus Deutschland ........ he calls scrape that fiddle more darkly then hover like smoke in the air .......... then scoop out a grave in the clouds where it’s roomy to lie ......... Black milk of morning we drink you at night we drink you at noontime Death is a gang-boss aus Deutschland we drink you at dusktime and dawntime we drink and drink ....... Death is a gang-boss aus Deutschland his eye is blue he shoots you with leaden bullets his aim is true ........ There’s a man in this house your golden hair Margareta .... he sets his dogs on our trail he gives us a grave in the sky .... he cultivates snakes and he dreams Death is a gang-boss aus Deutschland ............... your golden hair Margareta your ashen hair Shulamite

Margarete 1981 Palette

Margarete 1981  Palette

Thursday, February 25, 2010

















Seraphim 1983-84
Seraphim are angels sent to purify the world through fire and burnt offering. Fallen angels are represented in the snake at the bottom of the ladder. This canvas was created by oil paint, straw and shellac, and Kiefer set it on fire (see the black areas), as a burnt offering to God in atonement and seeking God's forgiveness to mankind for a world scorched with evil.