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Ulrike Draesner
exit erdbeer-klee
What does it mean, this “extinction of species”? We hear about it, we are alarmed by it, and we forget about it. They tell us that every system can absorb losses up to a critical threshold. That the process then becomes irreversible. In the alluvial forest of Leipzig, as in other places too, hundreds of plants are vanishing. The poetic video exit erdbeerklee (poem by Ulrike Draesner, images by Stefan Harder) uses the components of words and images, i.e. letters and pixels, to depict this form of disappearance as a sensory experience. We are seeing first-hand how the threshold of tolerance is shifting – how the system is collapsing.
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Video © Stefan Harder
exit erdbeer-klee
Ausgangslage, Auwald Leipzig, 30. April 2019
rundum blühte scharbockskraut graben-
veilchen in den trog des krans gehievt wir ins
sonnengeflecht: die weite des waldes. wipfelgrün
wogenmeer erstsprache lichtsauger überallsprache
chemie die au ein körper aus lücke und wiederholung
tausend einzelwesen gesetzt muster irregel. wald
poetisches system. vögel ohne scheu. erkennen uns
dort oben nicht wieder oder nehmen weil wir stapfer
am grund die krone nicht begreifen als andere uns wahr?
aussterben überbewertet # natur dient. wir jagen
strahlen dürfen das. uns – ich bitte euch – gehört.
bitte, blick um die ecke der berührungslosigkeit.
von seele zu sprechen wage ich nicht. darf ich fragen
wo wir einsilbig werden? über den wipfeln ist ruh?
du spürst den erdwind
wirst teil des bäumischen meer
Stufe 1 (exit r)
undum blühte schabockskaut gaben-
veilchen in den tog des kans gehievt wi ins
sonnengeflecht: die weite des waldes. wipfelgün
wogenmee estspache lichtsauge übeallspache
chemie die au ein köpe aus lücke und wiedeholung
tausend einzelwesen gesetzt muste iegel. wald
poetisches system. vögel ohne scheu. ekennen uns
dot oben nicht wiede ode nehmen weil wi stapfe
am gund die kone nicht begeifen als andee uns wah?
aussteben übebewetet # natu dient. wi jagen
stahlen düfen das. uns – ich bitte euch – gehöt.
bitte, blick um die ecke de beühungslosigkeit.
von seele zu spechen wage ich nicht. daf ich fagen
wo wi einsilbig weden? übe den wipfeln ist uh?
du spüst den edwind
wist teil des bäumischen mees
Stufe 2 (exit e und n)
udum blüht schabockskaut gab-
vilch id tog ds kas ghivt wi-is
sogflcht: di wit ds walds. wipflgü
wogm stspach lichtsaug üballspach
chmi di au köp aus lück ud widholug
tausd izl-ws gstzt must igl. wald
potischs systm. vögl oh schu. k us
dot ob icht wid od hm wil wi stapf
am gud di ko icht bgif als ad us wah?
ausstb übbwtt # atu dit. wi jag
stahl düf das. us – ich bitt uch – ghöt.
bitt, blick um di ck d bühugslosigkit.
vo sl zu spch wag ich icht. daf ich fag
wo wi isilbig wd? üb d wipfl ist uh?
du spüst d dwid
wist til ds bäumisch ms
Stufe 3 (exit b, d, l und k)
uum üht schaosaut ga-
vich i tog s as ghivt wi-is
sogfcht: I wit s was. wipfgü
wogm stspach ichtsaug üaspach
chmi I au köp aus ück u wihoug
taus iz-ws gstzt must ig. wa
potischs systm. vög oh schu. us
ot o icht wi o hm wi wi stapf
am gu I ko icht gif as a us wah?
ausst üwtt # atu it. wi jag
stah üf as. us – ich itt uch – ghöt.
itt, i um I ü-hugs-osig-it.
vo s zu spch wag ich icht. af ich fag
wo wi isiig w? üwipf ist uh?
u spüst wi
wist ti s äumisch ms
Stufe 4 (exit s)
uum üht chaoaut ga-
vich i toga ghivt wi-i
ogfcht: I wit wa. wipfgü
wogm tpach ichtaug üapach
chmi i au köp au ück u wihoug
tau iz-wg tzt mutig. wa
potich ytm. vög oh chu. u
ot o icht wi ohm wi wi-tapf
am gu iko icht gifa au wah?
aut üwtt # atu it. wi jag
tah üfa. u – ich itt uch – g‘höt.
itt, i um I ü-hug-oig-it.
vo zu pch wag ich icht. af ich fag
wo wiiig w? üwipf ituh?
u püt wi
wit tiäu mich m
Exit Strawberry Clover
(translated by Iain Galbraith)
The strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum) is a herbaceous perennial. The lamina, typically for clover, consists of three leaflets; if one is lucky, four. The pinnate leaflets are delicate and finely serrated. The inflorescence forms a reddish head and appears in forests between June and September. The flowers are described as butterfly-shaped (papilionacious). In time these wing their way to a light pink to become a finely haired, elaborately scaled, strawberry-like legume, tall and bright among the surrounding greenery.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifolium_fragiferum]
Point of Departure, Floodplain Forest, Leipzig, 30 April 2019
all around us pilewort in bloom fen
violet into the tub of the crane us heaved into the
sun’s web: the vastness of the forest. treetop-green
billowing ocean first tongue light-sucker overall-language
chemical the floodplain a body of gaps and repetition
a thousand single beings as patterned disorder. forest
a poetic system. unscared birds. not recognizing us
up here or: because we plodders of the ground do not
grasp the canopy perceiving in us another?
#extinction overrated #nature serves. we hunt
radiate are entitled. belongs – if you please – to us.
please, squint around the corner of untouchability.
I dare not speak of the soul. may I ask where we are
turning monosyllabic? over the treetops is hush?
you feel the earthly wind
you are part of the tree-fold sea
Exit Strawberry Clover, Stage 1 (exit r)
all aound us pilewot in bloom fen
violet into the tub of the cane us heaved into the
sun’s web: the vastness of the foest. teetop-geen
billowing ocean fist tongue light-sucke oveall-language
chemical the floodplain a body of gaps and epetition
a thousand single beings as pattened disode. foest
a poetic system. unscaed bids. not ecognizing us
up hee o: because we ploddes of the gound do not
gasp the canopy peceiving in us anothe?
#extinction oveated #natue seves. we hunt
adiate ae entitled. belongs – if you please – to us.
please, squint aound the cone of untouchability.
I dae not speak of the soul. may I ask whee we ae
tuning monosyllabic? ove the teetops is hush?
you feel the eathly wind
you ae pat of the tee-fold sea
Stage 2 (exit e and n)
all aoud us pilwot I bloom f
violt ito th tub of th ca us havd ito th
su’s wb: th vastss of th fost. ttop-g
billowig oca fist togu light-suck ovall-laguag
chmical th floodplai a body of gaps ad ptitio
a thousad sigl bigs as pattd disod. fost
a potic systm. uscad bids. ot cogizig us
up h o: bcaus w plodds of th goud do ot
gasp th caopy pcivig I us aoth?
#xtictio ovatd #atu svs. w hut
adiat a titld. blogs – if you plas – to us.
plas, squit aoud th co of utouchability.
I da ot spak of th soul. may I ask wh w a
tuig moosyllabic? ov th ttops is hush?
you fl th athly wid
you a pat of th t-fold sa
Stage 3 (exit b, d, l and k)
a aou us piwot I oom f
viot ito th tu of th ca us hav ito th
su’s w: th vastss of th fost. ttop-g
iowig oca fist togu ight-suc ova-aguag
chmica th foopai a oy of gaps a ptitio
a thousa sig igs as patt iso. fost
a potic systm. usca is. ot cogizig us
up h o: caus w pos of th gou o ot
gasp th caopy pcivig i us aoth?
#xtictio ovat #atu svs. w hut
aiat a tit. ogs – if you pas – to us.
pas, squit aou th co of utouchaiity.
i a ot spa of th sou. may i as wh w a
tuig moosyaic? ov th ttops is hush?
you f th athy wi
you a pat of th t-fo sa
Stage 4 (exit s)
a aou u piwot i oom f
viot ito th tu of th ca u hav ito th
u’ w: th vat of th fot. ttop-g
iowig oca fit togu ight-uc ova-aguag
chmica th foopai a oy of gap a ptitio
a thoua ig ig a patt io. fot
a potic ytm. uca i. ot cogizig u
up h o: cau w po of th gou o ot
gap th caopy pcivig i u aoth?
#xtictio ovat #atu v. w hut
aiat a tit. og – if you pa – to u.
pa, quit aou th co of utouchaiity.
i a ot pa of th ou. may i a wh w a
tuig mooyaic? ov th ttop i huh?
you f th athy wi
you a pat of th t-fo a