Indubitable
Here at Desperado Philosophy, it has not escaped our attention that we are presently experiencing the one hundredth anniversary of the maiden voyage and subsequent sinking of the unsinkable Titanic. To mark the occasion, we have selected a montage of passages from the Cantos of Hans Magnus Enzensberger’s brilliant epic poem written across the debris field of the catastrophe, and other affiliated catastrophes.
First published in English in 1980, and now lamentably out of print, the poem is dedicated to the Chilean poet Gaston Salvatore. While studying sociology in Berlin, Salvatore became a leader of the German student movement, and later joined Enzensberger as editor of the monthly journal, TransAtlantik.
On this day (April 13), it was still party time on board; full steam ahead! As for the iceberg…
EXCERPT FROM SIXTH CANTO
TWELFTH CANTO
EXCERPT FROM EIGHTEENTH CANTO
EXCERPT FROM TWENTY NINTH CANTO
EXCERPT FROM THIRTY THIRD CANTO
Hans Magnus Enzensberger
Desperado Philosophy 