Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Yi Sha

I’M NOT AFRAID OF ANYONE: I’M A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN!

every time I go for a walk
and see an armoured van
parked outside the bank
I stop suddenly
and make an abrupt detour

once or twice however
I’ve noticed it too late
for me to turn back
so I force myself
to keep walking
and this makes me seem like a thief
even without stealing

although I get close enough
to catch a glimpse
of the face of the security guard
dimly visible
within his helmet
and see the wisps of beard on his chin
as well as the dark, menacing gun
that looks like a hard, straining snake
deep down I feel assured
because I know perfectly well

that I look nothing like
any of those infamous bank robbers
before I did, I’d have to shave off all my pubic hair
and stick it on my face

IK BEN GEWOON DOORSNEE, VOOR WIE ZOU IK BANG MOETEN ZIJN?

Mensen gaan over straat
elke keer
als ik bij de ingang van de bank
een geldwagen zie staan
stop ik abrupt
en maak een omweg

Maar twee keer
kom ik er wat laat achter
ik kan mijn passen niet ongedaan maken
flink doorbijten dus maar
en verder lopen
dat stelletje ziet eruit
als dieven al stelen ze niet

De afstand is zo klein
dat ik duidelijk het gezicht van de soldaat
half verborgen in de stalen helm kan zien
op zijn kin staan enkele baardharen
en hij heeft zo’n akelig geweer
dat op een eerlijke slang lijkt
maar diep vanbinnen ben ik voorbereid
want ik begrijp het maar al te goed

Een beruchte bankrover
daar lijk ik echt niet op
dan zou ik al mijn schaamhaar moeten afscheren
en op mijn gezicht moeten plakken

Close

I’M NOT AFRAID OF ANYONE: I’M A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN!

every time I go for a walk
and see an armoured van
parked outside the bank
I stop suddenly
and make an abrupt detour

once or twice however
I’ve noticed it too late
for me to turn back
so I force myself
to keep walking
and this makes me seem like a thief
even without stealing

although I get close enough
to catch a glimpse
of the face of the security guard
dimly visible
within his helmet
and see the wisps of beard on his chin
as well as the dark, menacing gun
that looks like a hard, straining snake
deep down I feel assured
because I know perfectly well

that I look nothing like
any of those infamous bank robbers
before I did, I’d have to shave off all my pubic hair
and stick it on my face

I’M NOT AFRAID OF ANYONE: I’M A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN!

every time I go for a walk
and see an armoured van
parked outside the bank
I stop suddenly
and make an abrupt detour

once or twice however
I’ve noticed it too late
for me to turn back
so I force myself
to keep walking
and this makes me seem like a thief
even without stealing

although I get close enough
to catch a glimpse
of the face of the security guard
dimly visible
within his helmet
and see the wisps of beard on his chin
as well as the dark, menacing gun
that looks like a hard, straining snake
deep down I feel assured
because I know perfectly well

that I look nothing like
any of those infamous bank robbers
before I did, I’d have to shave off all my pubic hair
and stick it on my face
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère