I find it hard to believe
but if you don't
let me be your eyes
a hand in your darkness
so you won't be afraid
"La Divanee"
is based on the real story
of the Catalan Countess of Güell
Palomba Matas Mujika de Pumeral y Santiago
She reclined herself on a chaise lounge
at the age of 18
with the intention to never stand up again
It is said that she conceived
her first and only child at the age of 23
The child remained with her until he was old enough to walk
At that time, she decided to send him
to her relatives in their estate of Monte Igueldo
She only saw the child twice a year
during her birthday
and during his birthday
The father of the child remains unknown to this day
In her late 20s
she almost died trying to terminate an unwanted pregnancy
but fortunately
recovered from the incident
For her 30th birthday
she requested to be moved to the main living room of the house
and held the most interesting salons
During every Wednesday of that decade
she received from 6:00 p.m. until midnight
In no time, she became a fashion icon
High-society ladies paraded around town
draped in their bed linens
to pretend they were invited to her exclusive soirées
Wednesday evenings
also known to us as the Presentism Salons
with its famous motto
"The Present is Eternal"
included painting, poetry, and live music
from the most talented and influential artists of the time
Men of great intellect
fought to be alone with her
She has been compared
to Lou-Andreas Salomé
She did not only possess a piercing intellect
but a sharp eyesight
Some thought she had eyes
on the back of her head
She was also known for her acute ear
A few of her guests, mostly females
who whispered the wrong thing
were banned from the salons
forever
Often, and with a melodramatic tone,
she said, "Oh, how good it would feel
to be something which is neither a man or a woman"
For a short time, she was taken by Jasmine
who had the ability to smell
with the tip of her hair
She caused international speculation
Was she a mystic?
A symbolist?
A poet?
A surreal object?
A psychic?
A provocateur?
A conceptual artist?
A comedian?
An endurance performer?
Or perhaps, a revolutionary activist?
Alejandro came all the way from Argentina
attracted by her philosophy
Anything can be interesting
if it is happening now
He turned out to be a megalomaniac extension of herself
Before he returned to South America heartbroken
he proclaimed, "She and I are the same
but after all, I am a vertical man, and she's just a horizontal woman"
After being the center of her living room for almost 20 years
she grew tired of peripheral vision
the 360-degree social life that surrounded her
and asked to be moved once again
This time, she requested to be placed
in front of the main window at the library
She wrote seven novels, very popular with her contemporaries
but without any literary value for today's standard
After some years of self observation and much contemplation
she wished to be moved for the last time in her life
to the same room where it all began
She became less and less talkative
and when she spoke, full of marvel and in awe
she said
"It makes no difference
if my eyes are open or closed"
I find it hard to believe
that you don't know the beauty you are
but if you don't
let me be your eyes
a hand in your darkness
so you won't be afraid