Corrado Costa, Our Positions, Benway Series 11

p 11

Corrado Costa Our Positions Translation by

Paul Vangelisti benway  series

p 11

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First Benway Series Edition: Corrado Costa, Le nostre posizioni.

Original Edition: Corrado Costa, Le nostre posizioni, Geiger, 1972.

Benway Series, 9 Book Design & Composition: Michele Zaffarano Translation: Paul Vangelisti ISBN 978-88-98222-36-0 Digital printing: Tipografia La Colornese Sas Publishing: Tielleci editrice via San Rocco, 98 Colorno (PR) www.benwayseries.wordpress.com benwayseries@gmail.com Special thanks to Amedea Donelli and the Panizzi Library (Reggio Emilia) for the precious help, and for allowing this publication.

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Corrado Costa

OUR POSITIONS Translation

Paul Vangelisti

Benway Series

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Table of Contents

p. 5

our positions 1. giving directions outside the complement of place

Make Them Take Flight, p. 7 – Conversion of Bamboo, p. 8 – Text for the Arrangement of Fir Trees, p. 9 – Points of Reference for Two Flocks of Ducks That Intersect, p. 10 – Some Directions for the Way Back, p. 11 – As Usual, p. 12 – Two Stop on a Bridge, p. 13 – Seeing a Film Again, p. 14 – Offers a Chair, p. 15 – Barely Inside the Complement of Place, p. 16 – One Shows Himself to the Other, p. 17 – Above Below the Snow, p. 19 – Film and Photographs on Landscape, p. 20 – A Fire That Waits for the Sun to Get Warm, p. 21.

23 2. mistaking results is safer

Getting on Well Together, p. 25 – Classification of Names, p. 26 – Making the Leaf, p. 27 – The Lost Migrants, p. 28 – Yes, p. 29 – Recount, p. 30 – Scaring Off the Cranes with a Loud Voice, p. 31 – Miscount, p. 32 – Constructing the Trap, p. 33– As If They Didn’t Know It, p. 34 – Other Considerations Not About Cranes, p. 35 – Other Considerations About Frightened Cranes, p. 36.

37 3. answer: a still bicycle

Conversation Alone, p. 39 – How to Begin a 30,000 Line Political Poem, p. 40 – How to Begin a 30,000 Line Political Poem, p. 41 – Who Yelled to Scare Off the Cranes Stays Hidden, p. 42 – How to Begin a 30,000 Line Political Poem, p. 43 – Duplicating the Diver, p. 44 – Holding a Target, p. 45 – How to Begin a 30,000 Line Political Poem, p. 46 – Festive Reception for the Missing Guest, p. 47 – Who Doesn’t Build the Trap, p. 48 – Who Doesn’t Build, p. 49 – a > a, p. 50.

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51 4. moving before the complement of time

The Shadow That Doesn’t Move of a Bird Flown Away, p. 53 – The Shadow Flown Away of a Bird That Doesn’t Move, p. 54 – Crossword, p. 55 – Swallows That Build Their Nests Wrong, p. 56 – Crossword, p. 57 – Other Solutions to the Crosswords, p. 58 – Other Crosswords, p. 59 – Re-acquaintance After a Long Time, p. 60 – Having Faith, p. 61 – Preparing Dinner, p. 62 – Barely Outside the Complement of Time, p. 63.

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OUR POSITIONS

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to Liliana always the same dedication, to Liliana

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1. giving directions outside the complement of place

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Make Them Take Flight

after much time after this winter now it reaches their shoulders they remain hanging, with its height now it reaches their shoulders, they remain hanging until its height is zero

13

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Conversion of Bamboo

they remain on their feet they stand on their feet in front one in front of the other at some distance horizontal they are divided one from the other as they stand they stand together on their feet (they are two) changing places with each other at different distances

14

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Text for the Arrangement of Fir Trees

turned toward that place where the branches bend tangled in the hammock where the branches tangle lying on the ground under the air that is bright, stretched out in union the branches are reversed

15

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Points of Reference for Two Flocks of Ducks That Intersect

stays ready on her back with wings ready by her sides with wings that stay wide open and taut wings she stays stretched out putting out her wings ready by her sides aside from coming down she stays up

16

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Some Directions for the Way Back

through whatever part they pass they go through the other part the other part they go through is exactly inclined to whatever part they pass through

17

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