w ritte n w ith nic tog r ap h

ar turo

c ar re r a

TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION
If I wake in the middle of the night a nd think of something that merits recording, I just take from under my pillow a small box containing my Nictograph a nd I write a few lines without ever having to take my hands out from under the covers. Then I put the Nictograph back and retur n to sleep. Lewis Carroll wrote that, in a year and context unknown to me. Freud would have approved, for Carroll's little device evokes nothing more than those notebooks recomme nded in The Interpretation of Dreams. Utilitarian devices, these are, but like every tool they lend the mselves to every sort of fa ntasy, every perversion. Can't we imagine the nictograph as the "writing material" of a scene like this one? Having settled down in some spot most conducive to the mi nd's concentr ation upon itself, order writing material to be brought to you. Let your state of mind be as passive and receptive as possible.... Write quickly without any previously chosen subject, quickly enough not to dwell on, and not to be te mpted to read over, what you have written. Breton's surrealist artist, having ordered paper and pen (a little notebook, to continue with the present fa ntasy), would write as if in a trance, in a state between sleep and arousal (a state of arousal through sleep, as that photograph of Robert Desnos in Nadja is meant to convey). Writing quickl y, reaching for what Foucault calls the "raw being" of language, writing the ni ght, e mptiness and plenitude, a shattered mirror and an incandescent globe: for all this the nictograph might be useful. And if it is, this is because the night has become somethi ng other tha n the night. It's because the night has become a site of poetry, is "that empty Nothingness, which contains everything in its undivided simplicity: the wealth of an infinite number of representations, of images, not one of which comes precisely to mi nd, or which moreover are not there insofar as they are really present.... In phantasma gorical representations it is night on all sides: here suddenly sur ges up a blood-spattered head; there, another, white, apparition; and the y disappear just as abruptly. That is the night that one perceives if one looks a man i n the e yes; then one is delving into a ni ght which becomes terrible; it is the night of the world which the n presents itself to us." That is Hegel, quoted by Bataille: a Romantic Hegel, "funda mentally" Roma ntic, wrote Bataille. The night of the world, night on all sides, an empty nothi ngness punc tua ted by nothing less than bloody, severed heads (heads of aristocrats, heads that reappear, crowning crowns that once crowned the m, in Severo Sarduy's Big Bang): such is the night that might be written here.

A mess of quotes, all this, at once too academic and not rigorous at all. But a mess of quotes is perhaps fitting for a prologue to this long poem, which is "about" writing the night. After all, years later, some three decades after Escrito con un nictgrafo first appeared in Bue nos Aires, another book about night was published. And in it we find a refrain: "you said..." "he said..." The refrain leads us back into a mess of quotes, like this: You could say a mur mur doesnt capture the light but the s hadows trapped in every poem. You said: "The astronomers would say: black hole s, Freud: me lancholy, Leza ma Lima: tokonoma, and Bataille: petite mort." Mur murs like these capture shadows, the ghosts of Leza ma and Bataille and the rest. I hope some thi ng of the ghost of Arturo Carrera's nictograph is captured in the mur murs of this translation. --Craig Epplin

THE NIGHT WRITES

(by Severo Sarduy, Saint Leonard, 1971) 0. "Contradiction is revealed to be the matrix of all signification." J. Kristeva. I. In the begi nning-- ceci prs: there is no beginning--was the white: a slow milky spiral, knot of snow dwarves, helix of semen. Black swaths, carbonized beaches striating it, veins of onyx. In the begi nni ng was the page: textured by the ni ght of the inkwell. Scarce letters: "Use ink as if it were gold." II. And after--though simultaneously--its scorched flipside: black rectangle surface, bands torn aw ay. Negatives, the letters of the day shine bright, the absent ones. Covered with "blue rice"--semen, in Chinese--the emission looks at us. III. Not black on w hite, not white on black. There is no medium. There are no figures. Positive and negative, yin and ya ng, night and day, evoking and supporting each other. The painters of the Song dynasty a nd Franz Kline, here on this side, have allowed us to see that equilibrium. The winter plum, frost on leaves, creaky bridge, successive swaths of mist, a nd beyond, in the fissures of a cliff, the cabin of the mute inspectors of the void, it all "forms a body," fragile silk unwinding, cascading over the wall. The authoritarian barriers, made of asphault, the black signs, quick, pure gestures, writings that dance, the nocturnal trace-impenetrable shadow theater --left by Kline: all on the same plane as the white cloth that see ms to hold it up. IV. Not the affirmation (figure, motive, letter) of ne gation ( medium, cloth, page), not the ne gation of affirmation, not the ne gation of negation... V. Writing i n the dark, with his box for ma king te xts, infallible like the mac hines of Locus Solus, writing in the dark, illuminated by the faint, ashe n light of his white dwarf--the one with pigeon's feet--Arturo Carrera unfolds a black galaxy, the one centered--a zenith--by midday, its reverse: the blinding day of midnight.

And the night is clad in like the black ink is clad in white paper.
--Cordoban secretary Ben Burd, the Nephew (d. 1053)

the

light

of

its

lamp

the s cr ibe ha s dis appear e d

I poi nt a t the e mpty pl a ce w he re the de ad r ej oic e

The ni ght pe ne tr a ti ng the or ga n sw oll e n wi th i nk, pe ne tra ti ng a nd ma ki ng t he s a me s ound a s dea th pe ne tra ti ng

i a tte nd to i ts dur a ti on i n the i ns ta nt EXORBITANT SILENCE

i ts fe as t i n the opaque , i n the ful l , i n the fla t

a tte nti on we ar s a ta r ge t on i ts for e he ad w ea rs a bla c k ca pe of wa ki ng dor mi ce

The ti me ' s ar rive d w he n de a th be gi ns to mol t I MOLT MY BODY I pr evail wi thi n your dea th I ADORN YOUR M OLT

ti me of a tte nua ti on ti me of puri fic a ti on ti me of ra i ns tha t ne ver e nd

The numb ne s s vibra tes the numb ne s s tol er a te s the ni ght s pr outs flow er s i n the mi ddl e of the ni ght mi ddl e of the pa ge over the pa unc h of de a th

or pha nhood we ar s a ta r ge t on i ts fore he a d

T H E P O E M tha t i s your s tre ngth

U N F O L D S

or pha nhood is spell bound c omma nde d, hois ted up to the li fe boa t i nva de d, s unk by the de a d

i i n the PROwSE of your book on the Ve s s el of the De a d a mong hol l ow vol ume s my c or po/ gra phy to a nothe r wa s tela nd unl oa di ng le tte rs H O L L O W bone s

The poe m unfol ds tha t i s your s tre ngth The poe m ma ke s c onta c t gl i de s wi th ope n ar ms over both s hore s: tha t i s your s tre ngth

Yo u s po k e t o me of a rus e of l a ngua g e

the poe m unfol ds Y O U R D E A D C L O W N S

S P R I N G

U P

D A N C E S i nte r fer e nce of da nc es pal i mps es t of da nce s i n the dar kne s s

the da r kne ss polar i zed, a nd da nc e s li ke the da nce s of the hone ybe e s unc ha ngi ng / the y dra w you i n the i r me tic ul ous move me nts to e xha us t s ome pl ac e

to unhi de a nothe r pla ce to fe i gn a n i nvasi on to i nfor m

/ da nc e s / quie t voic es / di da c ti cis ms / ac c umul a te d spac es / ea r thqua ke s

- - the se a re my de a d ( poi nti ng a t the words) - - the se a re my de a d

GOLDEN TREPHINE

I s pea k w hi le wr i ti ng ma ke ma r ks i n no pla c e c a n re tur n no l onge r to a ny pla c e

PIRACY WITHO UT TREASURE, WITHO UT MAPS

i bre a the to bec ome two, i nsi de my l ungs

i pe ne tra te the dar k i ri se wi th the s un to dri nk

to dri nk c i nna bar a nd pai nt mys e l f i n w hi te to fil l gr a ndmothe r 's gia nt ha t wi th Ka bba lis tic s i gns

- - Gr a ndmothe r of the Da y. Gr a ndmothe r of the Daw n Anc i e nt Sec re t Anc i e nt Conc e ale r

The y w er e c ons ume d by your s ong the i nk/ the bi tte n ta ble ts your hous e s of pre ci ous s tones my ho us e of books of ric he s tha t' s now be c ome your dwel li ng of the s ongs

li ttl e boy from Ave yr on li ttl e gi rl fr om Ave yr on c ove re d i n sc ars wr i tte n

ungr a s pa bl e/ sa br e/i za bl e

pa vil ion of the de a d Tomb of muta ti ons

or pha nhood/ one hood

i' m di sa ppe ari ng i nto pi e ce s i' m di sa ppe ari ng fr om the da r k

Doll s of gold a nd ja de a nd doll s tha t s mol de r a nd doll s of ba r k from tr e es ha mme r e d a nd bi tte n i nto c ove re d i n w ri ti ngs the y unve i l your home

now the w ri ti ng da nc e s now the a utoma ton s ta nds up now he be gi ns to w al k a r ound to r ouse the de ad girl

Anothe r s hut- i n Vi r ge n of Ir on over the ca da ver of the me c ha ni c al ni ght

IN THE GREAT COLD IN THE WHITE

i n the s uc ce ssi on of s hadow the a ter the unc e a s i ng a ppar i ti on r ei gni ng a dve rsi ty / diver si ty the s un

tha t s ound tha t c over s c ove rs / i mpr es sion of you

IMPRESSION OF THE DEAD

the s un l a r ge li ke the foot of a c hil d

fi lli ng a body wi th a li ke ne s s tha t pr oli fe ra tes unc e as i ng

HOMOSEMANTICS OF DEATH

i mpos si ble to hea r the song of s a me ne s s i mpos si ble to hea r the song of di ffer e nc e

De a th occ upi es e ac h one r e tur ns the m a ll to the s ur fac e

l ar ge book, s ma l l book, Ta hdol ASHEN WHITE / fl oa ti ng i n the De ad Se a

WORDS: i nfi ni te s uc ce ss ion of w a ki ng dor mi c e

WORDS a s the fi gur e s go on i ncr e asi ng i n the Whe e l of Ye ars / s low es t re cogni ti on EVEN THE FIGURE OF MID DAY

he r e the de ad a re hungr y s i gn of the gr ea t fa mi ne

w or ds OMNIPOTENT ATTENUATIO N c a vi ti es i n the s mi le of the Ches hi re c a t

door s e ncl os e d w i th a ke y

thi s pl ac e lis te ns thi s pl ac e w ri tes i t c ha nge s the w or d the de coy, the pl ot thi s pl ac e c ons tr uc ts a tra p

HERE FALL YO UR DEAD

- - Awa i ti ng you ma ke s the wi nte r the ta ble , the la mp s ile nc e , vi ol e nc e

- - Awa i ti ng you s ur r ounds the da y wi th que s tions about your dea th i de ogr a ms , ma ntr a s Wor ds tha t look li ke your dea th

- - I ma ke the m l a ugh, s over ei gns of the da y

- - I wri te a s i f I s tol e. I ma ke a s he s c ol d. I s pea k

- - As the ve ntr iloquis t spoke li ke Er ykl es unde r the w i nd the y s poke : dea th da nc e the wi nd

DEATH IS A VENTRILOQ UIST THIS IS AN EXPERIENCE OF VENTRI LOQ UY tr ibes of ve ntri loquis ts i nvade the pa ge

yo ur s l umb e r , dr e a m o f f a l c o ns

Li ke t he fa l c o n und e r yo ur hoo d r e pe a ti ng de a t h o ve r a n os c i l l a ti ng r i ng s t a ys b a l a nc e d t hr o ugho ut t he ni ght

M o t i o nl e s s a t mi dd a y und e r r a i nb ow s bl a c k he s c r a tc he s i n t he a s he s o f a P H O E N I X bo o k

M I L LI O N S O F R A I N B O W S O F S TO N E O N F OO T M I L LI O N S O F R A I N B O W S O F S TO N E O N F OO T

i a w a i t my di s e nc r us t me nt

t he a t e r

i mpr i nti ng w ords: the i mpr es si on of my de a d the s low nes s of the li vi ng

for m i nva de d by a n i mme ns e s un

pe r mi tte d to s pe a k of s l umbe r or pha nhood, c onve ni e nc e pe r mi tte d to s pe a k of the body

the book/ da nc e fl oor of the de a d the poe m/ home of dis gui s es of the dea d

the s um of i ns c ri pti ons on the te mpl e door s

te mpl e of dis conti nui ty te mpl e of i ns ta nta ne i ty te mpl e of tr a nsi e nt br evi ty

RAINBOW TENSED

gol de n slei gh over the boar ds of la ngua ge tha t s ke tc h / i s your i ns cr iption

Nothi ng / to w hom do you s pea k? no que s tions Your a tte nti on vis ibl y to e nc ounte r the r i nge d falc on vis iona r y-li ke / e ver yone

- - You s ai d tha t to w ri te i s to gr a ft dis gui s es to e va de ge nde r s, fa mi lie s , spec ie s, var ie ty.

- - You dis se mi na te d a nd devel oped the l es s on of your ma s te r: to w ri te i s to or ga ni ze a nd not r e pre se nt r ea li ty. Di s order i rre ali ty. REPRESENT IT.

................ to your fr a gme nts to your fr a gme nts

w he n you c a n s ee w he n you c a n know w he n you know how to poi nt

to e ve r y fra gme nt a s un w ill r is e to e ve r y w or d a ra i nbow

to the words/ car ni vor ous fl owe rs i dis tri bute my body Br ea ki ng the s tone s of bo die s a mong the hi be r na tor s i da nc e

r ea di ng the gr a phi s m of moti onl es s da nce s NO / the y'r e bar ome tri c fl owe rs c ons tel la ti ons of fr a gme nts

pe r fe c t pre se nc e s i de ogr a ms of w hol e nes s

the ge s tur e s i n quic kli me of your a gony i n the r ai n

INFANCY BOILING: LI ME AND WATER

"the gr a nds on goe s to his gra nddad's hous e "

/ the obs ce ne ma ri one tte l ed by the Bac c ha nts

/ the Chi ne se ma ri one tte the re i n the Tw o Worl ds

/ the hydr a uli c gi rls of Agdal Cha ha nc ha h i n the mummi fi e d dar kne s s

/ the me c ha ni c al girl s of the te mple of Del phi vi bra ti ng on pe de s ta ls , c over ed i n le a ve s of gol d

/ the hi be r na ti ng boys of Lonhma ns

IN A SANCTUARY OF AUTO MATONS

/ sought a fte r / a utoma ton / ............... / de sir e d i n e rr or

/ Egypti a n a ndroi d i ts le gs pr onounc e d

UPROAR IN THE CAGE w on' t le t the w i nd pas s by

M USICA L TOTEM

ge s tur e s i mpal e hi m ge s tur e s te ar hi m a pa r t ge s tur e s te ar out hi s s e x

w he re' s he wa nderi ng? Sil e nc e i s forc e d by sil e nt s uns

no ma d i ma ge s s e de nta r y i ma ge s

ope nme nts , fus i ons de ca ntme nts of for ms , of c ol ors

ASH- BLOOD pour e d thr ough a s ie ve

ta c til e, c onta c t

Vi ol e nce contr a c te d i n the for ms i n the c ol ors , i n w ha t you l ove ve r y li ttle muc h l e ss

EVERYTHING

NAMES ON ALERT THE DEAD ON ALERT be fore la ngua ge be fore me

s cr ibe gi vi ng to the i ns ta nt ma gne ti ze d pe ncil s s ei s mogr a phs ..................

YOUR BODY IS A WORD w a nts to be wr i tte n a nd er as e d

V o c a b u l a r y h a s d i s a p p e a r e d .

gui de d l i ke the br us h of the a utoma ton fr om Dr oz

i e xi s t i n the numbe r le ss double i r eque s t i n the doubl e d dar kne s s

PUZZLE PUTTING ME TOGETHER GATHERING ME

.......... an arm .......... the ha nd ............................ the he a r t s wel le d up li ke a bal loon ............................ bl ows up ............................

the c e nte r gone a s tr a y se e ks a nothe r c e nte r the or na me nte d c e nte r goe s to a nothe r fea s t

the da nc e is the re a t the moti onl es s ti p

s ubi ns ta nta ne ousl y di vide d i n tw o by the mus i c al uni ty

to w her e the y l ea d me to w her e mus i c l is te ns to me to w her e I a m on the s ur fa ce mus i c is my pl a nkton

mus i c moves me s pi es on me s tri/ e tc hes m/ e

Mus i c dra gs you to fr ui tl es s s a fe ty. It fi nds a pla ce for you a mong the de a d. Mus i c ma ke s you a n obj ec t. Be c ome a n obje c t. The obj ec t of mus i c is to s a tura te dea th. The obj ec t of de a th i s to moder a te mus i c .

UNTI L WE TO UCH THE EMPTY BOTTOM OF LANG UAGE

TORRENT ARRESTED TO WATCH GO BY

s pi lli ng of al l upe ndi ng e ver ythi ng

The ha nd tha t e r as es i s the sa me one tha t plow s tha t c ha nge s tha t c opi es tha t doe s n' t i nnova te tha t r e pe a ts tha t s te al s

b e l o w

a l l

t h a t

i s

t h a t

s p e a k s

Your fa ce r ec e de s

i wr ea k ha voc ma ke t he ge ne s is - te xts of a for e told ha voc

poe m of long- dra w n li fe li ke the ma r ri a ge of the Tar tar dea d c hil dr e n poe m tha t c opi es my l i fe

de ad / omni me tonymy

And s udde nl y the desi re to se al wi th s tone s wi th a r ai n of s tone s wi th a r ai n of w a x tha t se al s

br oke n off from s i gni fi ca tions i a m fr a gme nts c ol le c te d by my fr a gme nts r ai se d, gone , r un over by fr a gme nts

mi me ti c: the c ha me le on si tti ng on s tai ne d gla ss

Wha t' s le ft is the word scr a tc he d by your fi nge r nai ls dur i ng a c all i ng the w or d li ke pla s te r the w or d not the w all the w or d

li ke a wei ght y a ni ma l ful l of fi ss ur es wi th li ne s fr om a nothe r 's s ki n Ta tooed

ba roque te mpl e , mi ni ma l ON THE WALL IN THE WORD

on the w all of the ni ght your i ns is te nce / you ca lle d not to be al one or w he n you w ere n' t al one not to be

Us a ba ndone d to the mol t i n the mos t da nge r ous ni ght of the mol t In t he mi ddle of the wa i t

i know i don' t bel ong i know the y don' t bel ong

pe rs ua de d tha t the y' ve all be e n or pha ne d

i ns ta nta ne ous vi bra ti ng ta pes tr y the i ns ta nta ne ous de a d the s e na ve monotonous doubl es the te ns e d pa ge the pr e gna nt pa ge the mo unta i n pa ge the gong pa ge

to a nothe r te mple to s ee the door s i ns cr ibe d of a nothe r te mple

Sa v ed a ga i n a dopte d by a nothe r r hythm i n a mi na re t ma de of my bone s a nd of your bone s/ looki ng a t w ha t I don' t know a l ooki ng no longe r toge the r wi th w ha t i t s e es nor w i th w ha t pe ne tr a tes nor w i th w ha t pi er ce s

MARIONETTE OF THE DEAD

the pa ge i s your pl a tfor m

Fr om the pa ge I wa s e xpell e d We don' t know w ho s pe a ks ...

w ebs a nd viole nc es

Ga the r i ng of all tha t fal ls a fte r e ve r y de a th

/l i nes of re s urr ec tions : cr ea tur e s opa que / al pha be ts, new alpha be ts

Pr oli fer a ti on: HEDGEHOG OF GOLD

the body se duc es the se ke ys unde r loc k a nd ke y

IN THE CLEARING LEAST CLEAR AMONG THE UNC LEAR

to hi de is to be a t the dr um of your c offi n of thi s pa ge of thi s book

Subj ec t to i ns tr uc ti ons fr om the da r k: a ) wal k over bl a c k s a nd wi th a sei s mogr a ph i n ha nd l ooki ng for ra ttle s

b) e xc is e your bl adder bl ow i t up fi ll i t wi th ra ttl es MAKE A DEATH- RATTLE for the de ad

- - Ha ve to the a tri c ali ze the use le ss ne ss of i t al l -- sa ys Ros a, the for tune te l le r.

Afte r war ds de a th s ca tter s

i ts doubl e sl ee ps i n my be d

It c ha nge s c ha r ac ter i t's unc overe d i n the pl ur al

i n the s ter eogr a phi c gar de n i n the Book of a ll books

Cha i ne d to e xc es s c ha i ne d the e xc es se s of e xc l usi ons/ of a ttra c ti ons

Ar re s te d i n dune s of gol d

i l e t mys e l f/i go s e ns es i nta c t a ll of the m s e ns es tha t r e fus e s e nse

In a tumul tuous de ca nti ng

Embr a ci ng the unfol de d bodie s wi th s e ns ual i ty wi th hor r or

Los t i n the c a ta c ombs of the pa ge

li nge r i ng i n for m unhi ngi ng i n for m

fa ll s i ns ta ntl y thr ough the pr onouns

pai n e mbr a ce d a bove al l, e mbra ce d

i n the c omi ng a nd goi ng of the tr e es i n the c omi ng a nd goi ng of the r oc ks

IN THE HOUSES OF GOLD OF THE SONG IN THE HOUSES OF J ADE OF THE SONG

s le epi ng the r e da nc i ng the r e moti onl e ss the re

Li fe wi thout a n a c ce nt

a ppe ti ze d by sil e nce s po nge of gol d

Afte r the puppe te er s of the mys ti fi ers of the fa ir goer s by me a ns of/ re cei vi ng e ver yone

/ fe ar- - folde d--w i th ever y vi sa ge

Ti ed to a bi tte n tr unk ti nge d wi th ar row s or is he a sl ee p

Now the body i s ma de of w hi te a s h the y' r e s pi nni ng t he one w ho fa ns the w or ds over the gar de n unc over ed by da nc es over your body/ the book/ the pa ge

s me l l of i nc e ns e risi ng fr om t he ni c togr aph tr e mbli ng, the fr a gme nte r of the me c ha ni ca l ni ght

Inc r e as i ng, the me mor y of my ha nds

A ful l a ss e mbla ge ove r fl owe d by e mptyne s s

i c a n' t a nymor e c onta i ne d mor e mor e e mpty/ e xc l ude d fr om a ll/ by all

- - no one know s w ho' s w ri ti ng

- - no one know s w ho' s da nc i ng

- - You' ll li ter all y he ar my l a c ta ti on you' l l li tera ll y he ar my i nfa nc y my c onc e i t i n the dar k

mus i c unknow n to you

STUDDED BY THE WORD/ DEATH/ THE DEAD/ DEAD

i n sl ow a nd da nge r ous mol t i n sl ow a nd da nge r ous mi me s is

ESCONCED IN THE TREE FOR BURNING THE HERMAPRODITE TRANSVESTITE

NOTES
My nictograph has little in common with the apparatus invented by Lewis Carroll for "writing" insomnia. It only expropriated from it the signifyi ng force of the na me, forcing, through use, that e mptying-out of me aning, end and beginning of language, which is the practice of writing... ...writing the dark, "blindly," in the crevices of a cube -shaped box--that primary space also seeking the emptyi ng-out of mea ning--I piled up fragme nts, infinitesimal, plane-like temple-texts tha t inform--the scribe having disappeared-that e mpty place where the words rejoice: preeminence of langua ge over all. Monotony--of the poem--and dcoupage: these are the exte nuated for ms of my little re ports. Reports whose nuclei of meaning would be: I--: Death, how it hides within langua ge. The recent disappearance of my grandmother and the ceremony of death's unveiling--verbal, vocal. Her devotion to dolls and automatons. The shroud-page, mour ning. II--: Closed eyes. The panic provoked in me by vast white surfaces. The "use" of ink as night and vice versa. Ink as semen. The poem by African Pygmies that I often reread: the gre at cold of the night has come , blackne ss... The periodic blindness in certain animals that's caused by their molt. --Orphanhood is a constant molt. III--: Like that Melanesian tribe that with every death supresses various words from their lexicon, I wanted to s uppress, after a rereading, certain fragme nts. I've crossed out (a gesture more indecisive than elimination). My attitude is theatrical: "dramatico-comical," I know. But someone motivates me: Barthes. When he writes this: What is it to the atricalize? It is to limit language .

IV--: Finally, like Jean Marie Straub in his Chronicle of Anna Magdale na Bach, I've tried continuously to e liminate all inte ntion--the will to e xpre ss. Which is how Straub defines dcoupage . I know quite well--Stravinsky said it about music, Straud about film--that the poe m is incapable of expressing anything. Monotony, c utti ng, nonsense: the y'd be for the poem a plurality of meanings --and vice versa--the search for meaning and the meaning of that une nding search. Explanation a mounts to a broken mirror: myriad reflecting surfaces emerge, they annull The Great Surface. Darkne ss bre aks the mirror. De ath clouds up t he mirror. Let he r be . --Arturo Carrera