A woman is an Indian on “Traction-Brabant” by Patrice Maltaverne



“I know Murièle Camac’s writing well. After being one of his first readers, I edited his fourth collection, entitled "Heading West", in 2019.

Five collections in ten years, all published by different publishers: objective proof of quality writing, and at the same time, not excessive publications, but regular appearances. All of this, to me, means something.

The fact remains that I was amazed by the content of this fifth book: "A woman is an Indian", published by Éditions Exopotamie, which "moves up a gear" and constitutes a significant new step in this poetic journey.

Here, in fact, the identity of the style - easily recognizable - of Murièle Camac, is coupled with a real design. From this point of view, this book is its author's most committed.

By making the woman an Indian, Murièle Camac paints a sociological portrait, filled with irony, but also vehemence, with regard to these others who are men. To these first the costume and the power that it overextends. For women the difference of "the Indian in the city", this savagery which is not freedom.

At the same time, this portrait of the feminine condition is not fixed. It shows how the woman frees herself as the timeline progresses, even though this liberation is obviously not certain.

Murièle Camac's writing is more than precise. She is a pointillist. She uses the colloquial register and at the same time, sprinkles her poems with literary references. The texts are concentrated, the images are not distributed all over the place. In short, the reader is often surprised by this writing which knows how to move quickly and briefly.

The shift in irony responds to the shift in writing. With simple words, create something new... that reads well!

“A woman is an Indian”, it is for the moment (after several months, all the same!), my best poetic reading of this year 2022.

Excerpt from “A woman, it’s an Indian”, by Murièle Camac, her first poem, with program value, extract from “Tapisserie” (title of the part of the collection):

"Once upon a time there was an Indian, a woman -
a woman is different - different from a man.
A woman is an Indian:
An Indian, therefore someone completely different.
A woman, before facing torture, must know
sing his death song.
She sings :
his quest,
his departure,
his clothes are ironed,
his naked dive into the sea,
its island, its frost, its sleep.
The movement and recognition of nothing.
Once upon a time there was an Indian, and she sings.
No one but herself is there to hear
her death song - it is addressed only to herself.
No one but herself will read it.
When we have done this, we can face the worst.
A woman locks her death song in her
drawers, and then she goes dancing.
All dances are possible for him.
We hear her laugh: she laughs at the worst."
 
The cover photography is by Karine Rougier.
If you would like to purchase “A woman is an Indian”, by Murièle Camac, which is sold for €17, go to the publisher’s website:
https://exopotamie.com/collections/produits/products/une-femme-cest-un-indien »

Patrice Maltaverne


Article published on “ Traction-Brabant ” on April 4, 2022:
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