TWENTY SAZARTINIAN COSMOPOETIC PEREGRINATIONS


	"Twenty-five years ago, I created a cosmopoetical character, Spaceman Sazartinus, as my clandestine spiritual protection weapon in a totalitarian regime. I didn't imagine that, after a democratic revolution and the apparition of the Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy-SARM, my Science Fiction and Fantasy hero will become an inspiring element for a national movement of astronomical poetry (astropoetry)." -Andrei Dorian GHEORGHE-



*	PROLOGUE I tried to weigh matter. But it always was harder with a few kilograms than my fantastic scales and crushed them. I tried to stop time. But it always was more solid with a few seconds than my unusual dams and destroyed them. I tried to measure the thought. But it always was more comprehensible with a few ideas than my hopes and shattered them.

	Am incercat sa cantaresc materia. Intotdeauna insa era mai grea cu cateva kilograme decat fantasticele-mi cantare si le-a strivit pe toate. Am incercat sa barez timpul. Dar mereu era mai solid cu cateva secunde decat stavilarele-mi nefiresti si le-a naruit. Am incercat sa masor gandul. Insa de fiecare data era mai cuprinzator cu cateva grade fata de marile-mi sperante si le-a spulberat.



*	If you search, you don't repose. If you stop, you become tired too. So run by relaxing, said to me the inhabitants of Zarbua, the planet of the sages, who played with the cubes of the mind as eminent pupils of endlessness.

	Daca vei cauta, nu te vei odihni. Daca te vei opri, tot vei obosi. Alearga odihnindu-te, mi-au spus cei de pe Zarbua, planeta inteleptilor, jucatori cu ale gandului cuburi ca niste copii premianti ai nesfarsirii.

*	Oxult was the physicians' planet. Pushed by a violent zeal excess, these produced first aid kits and cured everything they met: air and waters, stones and clouds, flowers and wind. When nothing remained to be cured, the Oxultians became interested in their own bodies, realizing this time how sick they were!

	Oxult era planeta doctorilor. Impinsi de un napraznic exces de zel, acestia isi scoteau trusele si vindecau tot ce intalneau: aerul si apele, pietrele si norii, florile si vantul. Cand n-au mai avut ce sa vindece, oxultienii s-au aplecat asupra propriilor persoane si abia atunci au descoperit cat erau de bolnavi.

*	"The stars are inaccessible because the flight cannot belong to us." was a law on the planet Plyhar. "The gods have decided we must remain glued to the ground." However, many crazy inhabitants sent credentials to death, signing them with propellers, with motors, with wings... Bronzing under the brightness of keeping the matter-of-course, the gods watched on each lift by pulling the trigger.

	"Stelele ne sunt inaccesibile fiindca zborul nu ne poate apartine." - se spunea pe planeta Plyhar. "Zeii au hotarat sa ramanem lipiti de planeta." Si totusi, multi nebuni isi trimeteau scrisorile de acreditare mortii, semnandu-le ba cu o elice, ba cu un motor, ba cu niste aripi... Bronzandu-se sub stralucirea mentinerii firescului, zeii pandeau orice inaltare cu degetul pe tragaci.

*	"Our race has discovered immortality", told me Uzb, a scientist on the planet Hendhir, "because we have succeeded to frame our existences in mathematical absolute values. (As you probably know, death takes only negative values.) So, the days of many of those you see here are expired from the point of view of a natural destiny. Me, for instance," Uzb continued, "I'm dead!"

	-Specia noastra a descoperit nemurirea - imi spuse Uzb, cercetator stiintific pe planeta Hendhir - pentru ca am reusit sa ne incadram existentele in module matematice. (Dupa cum probabil stii, moartea ia numai valori negative.) Astfel, multora dintre cei pe care ii vezi aici, zilele le-au expirat din punctul de vedere al unui destin firesc. De pilda eu - continua Uzb - sunt mort.

*	"I have pulled grace out of matter!" proudly shouted the primitive Seltuan on his savage planet, showing me the wooden spear he had just carved. "Look how beautiful it is! And how elegantly it will fly towards its victim!" "Yes, yes," I mumbled, "you have pulled out Grace..."

	-I-am smuls materiei gratia! - imi striga primitivul seltuan cu mandrie pe planeta lui salbatica, aratandu-mi lancea de lemn pe care tocmai o sculptase. Priveste-o ce frumoasa este! Si cat de elegant va zbura spre victima! -Da, da - am spus -, ai smuls Gratia...

*	One day, on a rhomboidal planet, I discovered a young and beautiful creature in a dark cave, forgotten by time. "Why are you hiding your youth?" I asked her. "I am old," she answered, "I felt years throbbing in my veins with a tremendous speed. I am old - though nobody observed it - and I was afraid of time." "Why are you hiding your beauty?" I asked her. "I am ugly," she answered, "I never understood my beauty that everybody accused me. I am ugly - though nobody observed it - and I was afraid of light."

	Candva, pe o planeta romboidala, am descoperit o faptura tanara si frumoasa intr-o pestera intunecata, uitata de timp. -De ce iti ascunzi tineretea? - am intrebat-o. -Sunt batrana - mi-a raspuns ea -, in vinele mele simteam anii cum zvacnesc cu o viteza imensa. Am imbatranit (desi n-a mai observat-o nimeni) si m-am temut de timp. -De ce iti ascunzi frumusetea? - am intrebat-o. -Sunt urata - mi-a raspuns ea -, frumusetea de care ma invinovateau toti, eu n-am inteles-o niciodata. Sunt urata (desi n-a mai observat-o nimeni) si m-am temut de lumina.

*	For the Master of the planet Modhag all the mistakes were equal and every culprit had to be murdered. "You are not good," I said, "if you don't make allowances for the degrees of the blames." "I am just against the idea of the mistake," he answered with a calm smile, "I aspire to perfection!"

	Pentru Stapanul planetei Modhag, toate greselile erau egale si el pedepsea pe orice inculpat prin lichidare. -Esti rau - i-am spus - de nu tii seama de gradul vinovatiilor. -Eu sunt potrivnic doar ideii de greseala - mi-a raspuns el si un zambet i-a rotunjit chipul. Aspir catre perfectiune!

*	Shnagy the illusionist used to create false apparitions in front of the cosmic travellers and to be extremely amused by their fear. But a monster- who looked nice! - came there and opened his mouth, swallowing the immaterial creations. "Even camouflaged by illusions you cannot enjoy life! What a terrible destiny!" concluded Shnagy the illusionist, disillusioned.

	Iluzionistul Shnagi crea fantasme in fata calatorilor cosmici si se amuza copios de spaima lor. Aparu insa un monstru cu aspect simpatic si-acesta deschidea gura si-i inghitea realizarile. -Nici mascat de iluzii nu te mai poti bucura de viata! Ce destin cumplit! - concluziona iluzionistul Shnagy, deziluzionat.

*	A crazy space explorer looked for the light. He kissed its traces, and asked everybody: Did you see the light? Did it pass near here? A crazy space explorer looked for the light - but he didn't reason if he could submit to it - and finally found it. A crazy space explorer died, drowned in the light.

	Un calator spatial nebun cauta lumina. Ii saruta urmele, intreba pe toata lumea: -N-ati vazut-o, lumina, lumina a trecut pe aici? Un calator spatial nebun cauta lumina - fara sa se intrebe daca putea sa ii reziste - si pana la urma a gasit-o. Un calator spatial nebun a murit inecat in lumina.

*	The Orxians liked their destiny: they had not sight to accept, taste to stun, hearing to quiver, touch to convince. They caught the Universe by only one lasso, and through smell they recognized, ate, listened, caressed, loved... They caught the Universe by only one lasso, and the world became stabile, without calls of uncertainty, richer than any view, tastier than any feast, sweeter than any song, denser than any object, better than any victory.

	Orxianii isi iubeau soarta: nu aveau nici vaz sa accepte, nici gust sa ameteasca, nici auz sa tresara, nici pipait sa se convinga. Prindeau Universul cu un singur lasso si prin miros se recunosteau, se hraneau, se ascultau, se mangaiau, se iubeau. Prindeau Universul cu un singur lasso si lumea le devenea stabila, nedisputata de alte chemari ale indoielii, mai bogata ca orice priveliste, mai delicioasa ca orice festin, mai melodioasa ca orice cantec, mai densa ca orice trup, mai supusa ca orice victorie.

*	The figure skating was art and industry on Zorya, the ice planet, and this kind of dance was life and feelings for those inhabitants. "Do you know to skate?" they stuck in me an old oblivion. "No, I'm sorry... " was my answer. "Then you are good for nothing," was their sympathetic conclusion, "your birth was a failure." Soon after, they left me, stolen by their own frenzy in sketching, on the ice, evanescent designs.

	Arta si industria locuitorilor planetei de gheata Zorya erau figurile de patinaj, dansul pe gheata le era viata si sentimente. -Stii sa patinezi? - m-au injunghiat cu o uitare de a mea. -Nu! - am raspuns, strain de ei. -Atunci nu esti bun de nimic, - au concluzionat compatimitor - nasterea ta a fost o nereusita. Peste o clipa, au si uitat de mine, furati de frenezia cu care desenau pe gheata modele pieritoare.

*	A looking-glass lost in space had fastened in the atmosphere of the planetoid where Little Tepk lived. Thus, he began to feel imitated by a stranger and became happy: he wasn't alone in the Universe any more!

	O oglinda ratacita in spatiu se intepenise in atmosfera planetoidului pe care traia micul Tepk. Acesta incepuse sa se simta imitat de cineva necunoscut si devenise fericit: nu mai era singur in Univers!

*	Just like the beasts which investigate their own forest, the Givians explored their own solar system. Conclusion: life also existed just on a peripheral asteroid, unapproachable because of the following verbal wall: "Go back to your parents if you don't want explosive problems." It must be a species of warriors, said the Givians, but after a while they defeated their fear and assaulted that point in space. They didn't find any weapon, but only an immense megaphone and a boy hidden there with his toys, which he protected as he could.

	Asa cum fiarele isi investigheaza propria padure, givienii isi explorasera sistemul solar. Concluzia: nu mai exista viata decat pe un asteroid marginas, inabordabil din cauza unui atare zid verbal: -Intoarceti-va la parinti daca nu vreti sa aveti probleme explozive. Trebuie sa fie o specie foarte razboinica, isi spuneau givienii, dar intr-un tarziu si-au sufocat spaima, asolizand si acolo. N-au gasit insa nici o arma, ci doar un megafon imens si un copil ce se refugiase aici cu jucariile lui, pe care si le apara cum putea.

*	When I was on Sanwhana, the planet of the flowers, some of them told me: "We are always young because we don't belong to time." Incited, I broke a flower to demonstrate the contrary: time means death. But suddenly, in the same place, another flower appeared, identical with my victim. "Do you see?" said the copy. "We cannot die." "You are not yourself," I shouted, "you are not..."

	Cand am fost pe Sanwhana, planeta florilor, acestea mi-au spus: -Noi suntem vesnic tinere, fiindca n-apartinem timpului! Incitat, am rupt-o pe una din ele sa le demonstrez contrariul: timpul inseamna moarte. Indata insa pe acelasi loc se inalta o alta floare, leita cu cea din mana mea. -Ai vazut? - imi spuse copia. Noi nu putem muri! -Nu esti tu - i-am strigat - nu esti tu...

*	The spherical knights of space are just brain on inside Their hardened skins protect them from the strongest shocks In a perfect synchronism, they charge and crush the shadows darker than the night. Afterwards they watch again. They look rather like quiet asteroids waiting for other galactic monsters that tear the celestial laws.

	Cavalerii sferici ai spatiului au pe dinlauntru doar creier Pielea lor aspra ii protejeaza de cele mai tari socuri Intr-o armonizare perfecta ataca si zdrobesc umbrele mai negre dacat noaptea Apoi veghea si-o reinnoiesc Par mai degraba astri cuminti cand pandesc alti monstri galactici ce poarta dreptatea in dinti

*	The myopic people disturb the sceneries, was a resolute decision on the planet Tyop. The world is clear and must be clearly seen. Thus, the myopic people fell out of favour (even if many of them were dreamers), being deported on a lost satellite (even if many of them were generous). But, oh, colors began to pale, oh, silhouettes became confused, oh, the whole planet became myopic, and no kind of glasses could save it.

	Miopii strica peisajul - s-a hotarat pe planeta Tyop. Lumea este clara si trebuie vazuta clar. Astfel, miopii au cazut in dizgratie (desi multi erau visatori) si-au fost deportati pe un satelit pierdut (desi multi erau generosi). Dar vai, culorile incepura sa paleasca, vai, tot mai confuz se zarea orice contur, vai, planeta devenea mioapa si nici un fel de ochelari n-o mai puteau salva.

*	Trees with the faculty of speaking lived on the planet Zexor. "We are not so peaceful as the immobility of our trunks shows you," said one of them, "in the subsoil or in the air many of us try to expand themselves, and others try to defend themselves. Thus, all becomes a terrible fight, our roots and our branches being swords." I looked arround: truly, their crowns had not leaves. "Do you understand us?" asked me that tree, pressing my shoulder with a cutting branch.

	Planeta Zexor era impanzita de copaci cu darul vorbirii. -Nu suntem atat de linistiti cum o arata nemiscarea trunchiurilor noastre - mi-a spus unul dintre ei. In subsol sau in aer, unii vor sa se extinda, iar altii doar sa se apere. In consecinta, totul devine o lupta cumplita, radacinile si crengile fiindu-ne sabii. Mi-am ridicat privirea. Uimire: desi vara, coroanele arborilor nu aveau frunze. -Intelegi? - mai spuse el, apasandu-mi pe umar o creanga taioasa.

*	Even when they were born, the Ridopeans found they were extremely valuable, and that education continued all the time, from a generation to another. In fact, they had all on their planet: food from nature, heat from their sun, and treasures anywhere (something logic, they were so valuable!) "What do you know to do?" I asked them. "What are your arguments?" Bored, they did not reply. Certainly, that was not essential.

	Inca de cum se nasteau, ridopeenii aflau ca au valoare, erau apoi toata viata educati in acest spirit, iar la batranete le propovaduiau urmasilor acelasi lucru. Nu duceau lipsa de nimic pe planeta lor: hrana si-o gaseau gata preparata de natura, soarele ii alinta mereu prin raze neobositoare, comorile li se iveau la tot pasul (firesc daca se cunoaste ca ei aveau valoare). -Ce stiti sa faceti? - i-am intrebat. Ce argumente aveti? Au ridicat, plictisiti, din umeri. Desigur, nu aceasta era esential.

*	In the cosmic singer's heart, a boulevard as a rainbow-nebula had appeared, on which crystal planetoids passed. Always in a hurry, they didn't respect the traffic regulations and frequently collided one another. From the clicks of the accidents, there were born space diamonds.

	In inima cantaretului cosmic se deschisese o magistrala ca o nebuloasa-curcubeu pe care treceau planetoizi de cristal. Grabiti, acestia nu prea respectau regulile circulatiei si se ciocneau adeseori. Din clinchetul accidentelor se nasteau diamante spatiale.

*	Observing that the words cannot be transformed into deeds all the time, the Assertians wanted to avoid their dangerous effects, and imprisoned them in the deepest cave of that planet. Ages and oblivions passed till a curious child tricked the guardians' vigilance and opened the gates of the improvised prison. Thus, the words began to fly again. Then the Assertians cried because didn't understand anything, while the words fluttered nervously their syllables like birds which did not find the adequate altitude.

	Constatand ca nu intotdeauna cuvintele erau convertibile in fapte, assertienii au vrut sa se fereasca de efectele lor periculoase si le-au inchis in cea mai adanca pestera de pe planeta lor. Trecura varste si uitari pana cand un copil curios profita de apatia paznicilor si deschise portile improvizatei inchisori. Astfel, cuvintele au inceput din nou sa zboare. Assertieni au plans atunci pentru ca nu le mai cunosteau si se temeau de ele, iar cuvintele falfaiau nervos din silabe ca niste pasari ce nu-si gasesc altitudinea potrivita.



	All these cosmopoems were composed between 1983 and 1986, and first published in Spaceman Sazartinus' Trilogy (Polidor Publishing House, Bucharest, 1993-1994) - in Romanian. Some of them were also published in Spaceman Sazartinus' Diary - "Science Fiction", "Astro" and "Fantasy" Cosmopoems (Polidor Publishing House, Bucharest, 1995) - in English.