Do nikam – Štroblová Jana (2020)

What is this poem about? A tired and confused old God, who has expelled us from paradise, has now expelled himself from paradise as well. Meanwhile, all of humanity is on the run. The narrator, despite the desire to stay in the beloved place from which there will be no return, is drawn into the very heart of the exodus, unaware of what or whom they are fleeing from. Is it hunger? Thirst? The search for the lost God, similarly hidden in various beliefs? "Fear like a shadow drags behind me / I hold my breath, the pulse goes thinly / we are shod only in our footprints / each of us already has the status of a refugee" – this is one of the preserved testimonies of the crowd that moves through increasingly desolate landscapes with houses and temples torn to pieces. Indifferently, it treads in fragments of foreign and personal stories. Only occasionally does its journey brighten with memories of places no longer existing on earth. Let us believe that in the end, the author, as a direct participant in the events, will hint at an escape route from the deadly march, perhaps still possible. The book is complemented by 14 mostly colorful illustrations by Vojtěch Kemeny, who also collaborated with Jana Štroblová on the previous title called Shades of Light.