Danielle Collobert > Quotes

“We are so small; and what must one hold on to when one no longer recognizes one's own hands, nor one's step, nor even the small dose of everyday despair.”
― Danielle Collobert, Murder

“how much time like this
it holds on
how much time resting
is going to start up again --- knows it --- at the edge already
the first words are waiting --- speech being reborn --- hitch still looking for its post”
― Danielle Collobert, It Then

“I know that I too could try a story out, rebuild mine, make it live again several minutes before the full of the day, the sun, the city. But I haven't the strength, stupidly. I rise and carry on. One more time.”
― Danielle Collobert, Murder

“for months no writing — impossible to reconcile the two — walk paying attention — I've lost sensation — closeness of the outside world around me — I'm not connecting with things any more — could be irreparable loss — trying now to recover sensations — objects for instance — the table's smoothness — its color — my hand on the paper
it's raining — that helps me — I feel better — more differentiated from things — from the outside —
blur already —”
― Danielle Collobert, Notebooks, 1956-1978

“agreement of body with inertia
agreement with emptiness
weightlessness of time
rest on the ground

recovered earth -- it crumbles -- it melts -- words penetrating the ground -- it dissolves -- loss of possessions -- loss of power -- like dead the buried text”
― Danielle Collobert, It Then