Vicente Huidobro

Altazor, or A Voyage in a Parachute CANTO VII

Vicente Huidobro

Altazor, or A Voyage in a Parachute CANTO VII

I always say goodbye, and stay. Vicente Huidobro

Arcachon, south of France in 1931. Friends Hans Arp and Vicente Huidobro spend the summer together. Arp (1886-1966), of German origin, is a well-known painter, sculptor, founder of the dada movement and a member of the surrealist movement. Huidobro (1893-1948), is an avant-garde Chilean poet, founder of creationism. That summer Arp and Huidobro write together a book of short stories entitled Three Exemplary Novels. Arp draws a portrait of Huidobro that will be used to illustrate the book. At the end of 1931, Huidobro publishes the book Altazor, or A Voyage in a Parachute 1. This poem in seven cantos, preceded by a preface in prose, is considered a seminal work in modern poetry. Some passages of Altazor had been published in French, but the complexity of the ideas and its innovative use of language, persuades Huidobro to publish the poem in Spanish. Translating Altazors Canto VII a strictly phonetic poem seemed almost impossible. The book conceived by Arp and Huidobro during the summer of 1931, is finally published in 1935, under the title of Three Immense Novels 2. The portrait of Huidobro by Arp is reproduced inside. According to Ren de Costa3, this portrait does not correspond to Arps original drawing, but is instead a copy done by Huidobro himself who decided out of vanity to improve the line of his nose. The current edition reproduces the text of Altazors Canto VII in Spanish next to the English translation by Eliot Weinberger 4. The front cover is illustrated with the original portrait of Huidobro drawn by Arp while the portrait modified by Huidobro is on the back cover.

Pedro F. Montes

1 2 3

Editorial Compaa Iberoamericana de Publicaciones S.A., Madrid, Spain, 1931. Editorial Zig-Zag S.A., Santiago, Chile, 1935. The portrait of Huidobro by Arp that I saw for the first time in Jorge Yrarrzavals house is perhaps the only original. The one that has circulated with the improved nose was published for the first time as the cover of Three Immense Novels. I remember that Eduardo Anguita told me that Huidobro, who supervised the edition, modified it himself. Ren de Costa. Barcelona, Spain, 2007. Altazor or A Voyage in a Parachute, Wesleyan University Press, Middletown, Connecticut, United States of America, 1988.

ALTAZOR, O EL VIAJE EN PARACADAS. CANTO VII

ALTAZOR, OR A VOYAGE IN A PARACHUTE. CANTO VII

Ai aia aia ia ia ia aia ui Tralal Lali lal Aruaru Urulario Lalil Rimbibolam lam lam Uiaya zollonario lalil Monlutrella monluztrella lalol Montresol y mandotrina Ai ai Montesur en lasurido Montesol Lusponsedo solinario Aururaro ulisamento lalil Ylarca murllona Hormajauma marijauda Mitradente Mitrapausa Mitralonga Matrisola matriola Olamina olasica lalil Isonauta Olandera uruaro Ia ia campanuso compasedo Tralal Ai ai mareciente y eternauta 30 25 20 15 10 5

Ahee aheeah aheeah eeah eeah eeah aheeah oohee Tralalee Lalee lala Ahruahru Urulinary Laleela Ecocokoo coo ecku Ooheeahyah zobbinary laleela Sierrastraluna sierrastralux laloloo Trierrasun and trillolin Ahee ahee Sierrasouth in southseairr Sierrasun Luxponsive solinary Raraurora ecoplaining laleela Ndanark harmurmony Antiquash matriquage Miterdent Miterlipsis Miterslonga Matrilonial matrimocean Roceaning traocean laleela Equinaut Bannocean raruckoo Eeah eeah campanily acompassee Tralala Ahee ahee renaissea and eterninaut 30 25 20 15 10 5

Redontella tallerendo lucenario Ia ia Laribamba Larimbambamplanerella Laribambamositerella Leiramombaririlanla Lirilam Ai i a Tempora Ai ai aia Ululayu lulayu layu yu Ululayu ulayu ayu yu Lunatando Sensorida e infimento Ululayo ululamento Plegasuena Cantasorio ululaciente Oraneva yu yu yo Tempovo Infilero e infinauta zurrosa Jaurinario ururay Montaendo orarana Arorasa ululacente Semperiva ivarisa tarir Campanudio lalal Auriciento auronida Lalal Io ia iiio Ai a i ai a i i i i o ia 65 60 55 50 45 40 35

Lucinary shooping astrasphere Eeah eeah Larymbimlam Larymbimbamastraplan Larymbimbamastramur Lyralibrarcrystramour Larylyra nx Ahee ee ah Temporarr Ahee ahee aheeah Ululayou lullayou layou you Ulalayou ulayou ahyou you Moonaluning Sensiwooned infirmament Ululayo ululament Pliasounding Chanteloping ululaissance Hallenujah you you yo Tempolary Infilite and infinaut buziety Quaginary uruahyou Sierratuning faraprair Ululascent aurorarary Livfrever Lefdalafda dadeedah Campellationed lalalee Auricental centauroral Lalalee Eeoh eeah ee ee ee oh Ahee ah ee ahee ah ee ee ee ee oh eeah 65 60 55 50 45 40 35

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Editors: Guillermo Garca, Pedro F. Montes. Acknowledgments: Ren de Costa, Eugenio Dittborn, Csar Soto. Inkpress Paper 15 x 22 Warm Tone 200-300 gsm. 100% Cotton Rag. Natural White Coating. OBA free. 100% Acid and Ligning Free. New York University. Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. 34 Stuyvesant Street. New York. N.Y. 10003. United States of America. Pequeo Dios Editores books are printed on acid-free paper.

ISBN 978-956-8558-03-1

Pequeo Dios Editores. New York, 2008.