Our friend Luis Claris Skoczdopole is a retired Plastic Surgeon living in the Penthouse of a high-rise apartment building in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. As far as I know, he has always been a kite flier and a kite builder, and has constantly been fascinated by everything pertaining to kites. And as a “retiree,” Claris now has more time to devote to the study of various kites, and to think a bit - to “contemplate” - about what building and flying kites entails and means to him.

Claris sent me some of these “writings” a while back, and I have received permission from him to edit them a bit and to publish them in Kitelife. Therefore, we are delighted to share them with you and I hope you are as pleased and “touched” by the concepts in them as I have been.

      Dave “geezer” Shattuck

        The wind and a kite line
        tied me to new friends
        as I was looking for mad people.
        Certainly, we need them…
 
        Yes, we need mad people.
        who love life
        and enjoy kite flying.
 
        Seating on the ground
        under a shining sun,
        with a line in their hands,
        looking at the sky,
        their minds flying with the kite…
 
        While sad people think
        the wind moans…
        happy mad people
        listen to the wind singing…

            L.  Claris 

A KITE FLIER…    WHY? 
 
Because of my cultural environment, 
some wondering friends are surprised by the fact that,
in this moment of my life, 
I dedicate part of my time to miniature kite building.

I do it with  enthusiasm, and, at my advanced age,
this playful activity pops up, very often, and with much gusto.

Let me tell you the reason: 

"I fish for angels" 

It is possible that those friends never saw
a small kite floating on the sky? 

Never noticed the wonderful changing scenery
nature offers us at every moment?

I can't believe that in their childhood
they never had the desire to feel in their own hands 
 the thread tension that ties the flyer and its kite,
capriciously jumping and riding into the wind.   

Have they forgotten or lost in their hearts 
the memories of powerful childhood sensations?

What is it?

 Facing the sky, the wind pushing our back,
a silhouette climbing higher and higher. 

 Discovering a messenger materialized through our artistic fantasy,
as a symbol of our heartfelt dreams to fly? 

 The "rhombus'', "the star", "the pump", the complicated "drawer", 
the cutting of canes, the selection of the colored paper,
the careful tying of the bridles, freeing our imagination?

The anxiety to unroll all the thread.

 The sadness of seeing the kite flying loose in the sky,
pushed by the wind, going to an unknown destiny.  

Where would it have fallen? 
Who would have found it? 

 Hopefully you?

In these days, not only do I revive such wonderful and pleasant sensations, 
but I like to share them and try to make them alive in others.

When people ask me why I fly kites, I always answer:
"Because I attempt to fish for angels". 

Yes. That´s my answer. 

Not in the sky... but on the other end of the string!

 When someone approaches me during this task,
probably attracted by the charm of those small kites flying,
I ask: 
"Please hold the line for a while.”

Then I observe their face, hoping that I will bring out
their childhood thoughts, memories and sensations… 

 Then, if they appear satisfied, I feel that: 

I have caught another angel!
 
Luis Claris Skoczdopole, MO October 2005