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Daniel Borzutzky
Henry Kissinger's Acceptance Speech for the
1973 Nobel Peace Prize
Though I deeply cherish the dickcissel and the ionization
chamber
Given to me by the members of the committee, I thank them most
for
Allowing me this opportunity to speak the language of peace,
which
Has nothing in common with human language, except for certain
words
Resounding from particular affections. But in this age of
Thermonuclear technology, the language of peace must be brought
into
The mouths of humans, whose rigid tongues are not used to the
gentle tones of
Angels. Usi teluto pingofo mapate, sasafu fasu
Imfose, said the angel Fuloto to me in my sleep last night.
I
Cannot translate literally. The best I can do is to say
that
Fuloto asked that you each ride the chariots of your
Minds into the perfect vacuum of intuition, where a buttered
Fish awaits you.
There are several people I must acknowledge and without whom I
would
Not have received this award. To the international
community
Of
mimes and court jesters, who bring needed levity to politicians
as we
Wander over hostile lands ever shaken by tremors, inhabited
By
awesome beasts, I salute you and accept this gift in your honor.
And
To
my personal troop of interpretive dancers----who have
Accompanied me on diplomatic missions with nincompoops, I give
you my
Sibilant, semi-vocal prayers. They will arrive while you
are dreaming and,
Like the birds of Aristophanes, they will make you say:
Hoop-ahoy! Hoop-hip a-hoop-hip ahoy.
But as the hour is running late, and as one can never
acknowledge all
Who have improved the world, let us turn our attention to
Eskimos. Delicate and ever-fleeting, they are non-gray
creatures we
Must embrace like Johnny-Come-Lately's of the Arctic.
When faced with social and political discontent, they developed
an
Understanding of fashion sense quite unique and admirable.
Last year,
In
an igloo, a representative of their people gave me a large
Orange tray with a vanilla hued-top. (holds up tray)
This lacquered unit
Has a Creamsicle effect and is perfect for cocktail wieners,
skewers of
Lemon-grilled chicken and even martinis. At a recent
meeting with my
Chinese counterparts, we struggled to understand the goals of
each other's
Nations, but we shared a common pleasure, eating pastry puffs
and egg rolls
Off these glorious serving dishes. By now you
Have surely seen the photographs of Chairman Mao Tse-tung
holding one end of
The tray while I grasped the other. Our hands walked
across this bridge
Between nations and met in a firm shake of unity.
I
have informed President Nixon of these fantastic trays and
He
has assured me that he will order hundreds of them for the White
House.
Moreover, he has made these trays a fundamental part of his
structure
Of
peace, a peace to which all nations have a stake and therefore
to which all
Nations have a commitment.
We
are seeking a sophisticated, tasteful world, not as an end to
Itself, but as a vehicle for the realization of man's
Noble aspirations of tranquility and community. If style,
Then, is to be our common destiny, then style must be our common
Practice. For this to be so, the ladies of all nations
must
Wear glossy boots, enamel-coated bangles and
Strikingly minimalist skirts, shawls and handbags. They
must remember that
Their fashion decisions are realized in the well-dressed nature
of their
People. They must remember that peace flows directly from
thoughts of peace,
As
if the thoughts simply projected themselves. And thoughts
of
Peace, my friends, flow much more smoothly when men of broad
vision accessorize
Their suits with silk handkerchiefs manufactured in
Civilized nations, whose citizens must not be merely concerned
with the
Fashion sense of individuals, for if lasting peace is to come,
it
Will be the accomplishment----not of a well-dressed man or a
well-dressed
Family, or even a well-dressed nation----it will be the
accomplishment
Of
a well-dressed mankind. With these thoughts, I extend to
you
My
most sincere appreciation for this award.
Daniel Borzutzky teaches in the
English Department at Wright College in Chicago. His first
book, Arbitrary Tales, will be published in 2005 by
Ravenna Press. His poems and fiction have appeared in many
journals, with recent work appearing, or soon to appear, in
American Letters and Commentary, Antennae, Blaze
Vox, Denver Quarterly, Fence, Golden
Handcuffs Review, La Petite Zine, LIT,
Magazine Cypress, Octopus Magazine, Pom²,
Salt Hill and Spoon River Poetry Review. |
