The Fly Trap

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The Fly Trap
Fredrik Sjoberg
Translated by Thomas Teal
Translation Copyright 2014
Pantheon Books, New York, 278 pages

I don't want to admit this but I was trapped like fly to the storytelling of the author. After I finished reading The Fly Trap, I wanted to put names to the birds that visit our subdivision these days, they were varied. This is our second year in our new location. My sister thinks that our place is a birdpath for migratory birds. My theory is whether the presence of varied birds is connected to the activity of Mt. Kanlaon which is in Warning #2 for a long while already. Plus, I can't see Mt. Kanlaon right now from our place because it appears to be surrounded by clouds or replaced by clouds from my point of location. Last year, I definitely looked far because I can see Mt. Kanlaon with vivid outline but now, all can see are the white cottons with mix of blue or black depending when it shines or about to rain which may be clouds or ashes or smoke or mixtures of them right now. In the meantime, I trust the Philvolcs to do their job because I can't give these my full concentration. 

But my point of discourse here is that, I am so enticed by the passion of Swede author Frederik Sjoberg who lived in an island and caught hoverflies, talked of hoverflies and showed how something irrelevant is in fact very relevant. Along the way, he funnily showed me how to sustain my own love, how difficult it is to explain that exhilirating feeling of experiencing what I love to others and how my love may or may not be that great anyway. I can really relate with that everytime I am done with composing a poem or trapping a fleeting idea for a poem for later.  Now, I blame the author that I digress because he always does from cover to cover.

I love his warmth, his ability for humor, his courage when he himself is the joke, I love his insights on collecting, on life, on time, on Malaise and all and his constant digression which is so charming it makes me smile and chortle at times.

Now, I can try to explain why I love this but of course, I am prepared for you to reply that it is just nothing... That's the beauty of this narrative by Frederik Sjoberg. This was published in Sweden in 2004 and translated by Thomas Teal, copyright 2014 for Pantheon Books, New York. The author plans for a trilogy and we must await for the translations to be out anytime from now. 

       

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