Seing the grey abbreviated bodies of military aircraft at the edge of a field, I remember at once the dismantled flies in the corner of the playground. I would sneak back when the committee had gone, to see if the engines had stopped and to inspect the exhausted machinery. I didn't dare touch, but when I held my finger close I could feel the molecules of air still stirring faintly with warmth. As for the wings, who knows what happened to them? The provocative wings! Like scandalous scraps of film they were excised, and taken as trophies or lost to the wind.

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Ao ver a breve fuselagem cinzenta do avião militar, logo me lembrei das moscas desmembradas no canto do recreio. Poderia esgueirar-me de novo quando a comissão desaparecesse, para ver se os motores tinham parado e inspecionar a exausta maquinaria. Não ousava tocar-lhes, mas quando levantei um dedo muito perto pude sentir as moléculas de ar ainda a rodopiar lentamente com o calor. E as asas, quem sabe o que lhes aconteceu? As provocantes asas! Tal como os restos dum filme escandaloso estavam extirpadas, e levadas como troféus ou perdidas ao vento.

by Jean SPRACKLAND, in "LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS", Volume 37, Number 20, 22 Ocober 2015

(Portuguese translated by Armando TABORDA, 2015)

(photo taken fro Internet; edited by Armando TABORDA)