from Fortino Samano

How can he be absolutely in motion and
absolutely motionless at the same time?
Is it because, far from his place, he seeks
absolutely to return there? Or to occupy it
absolutely?
A body in motion sometimes leaves traces 
in motionless bodies. From which the snowy
image: each thing in its place is absolutely in
motion is absolutely at rest.


D’où vient qu’il est absolument en mouvement et
absolument immobile en même temps ?
Est-ce parce qu’éloigné de son lieu, il cherche
absolument à y retourner ? Ou bien qu’il l’occupe 
absolument ?
Un corps en mouvement laisse parfois des traces
dans les corps immobiles. D’où l’effet neigeux de
l’image: chaque chose à sa place est absolument
en mouvement est absolument au repos. 

From Fortino Samano (The Overflowing of the Poem) by Virginie Lalucq and Jean-Luc Nancy, translated by Cynthia Hogue and Sylvain Gallais. Copyright © 2012 by Virginie Lalucq, Jean-Luc Nancy, Cynthia Hogue and Sylvain Gallais. Used by permission of Omnidawn. All rights reserved.