Poem
Remco Campert
THINKING OF JACQUES PRÉVERT AND JOSEPH KOSMA
It was raining sunlightthat day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me
we hugged each other
you said you felt so happy
I knew where the bus
no. 26 that would take us
through Belleville’s busy streets
to where you liked to be
the Rue des Pyrénées
where I said ‘obrigado’
to the concierge
where you could leave your bag
and wash your hair
and ask what next
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
You’d work to do and an address
films about oppressed peoples
far from Abbesses
which could safely be seen
in an art movie house
far from the masses
Court Saint-Louis
that’s where you had to be
straight after lunch
in Popincourt eleventh district
you put on your new shoes
we crossed Père-Lachaise
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
Much later in streets
full of rubble and potholes
in Ménilmontant
I tried to tell you
about the ravages of time
and how despite all the heart
but you squeezed my hand
and said someone else
and that things were as they were
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
Oh! the leaves they have died
and our footsteps have faded
all I have is that tune.
© Translation: 2007, Donald Gardner
From: I Dreamed in the Cities at Night
Publisher: Arc Publications, Todmorden, 2007
From: I Dreamed in the Cities at Night
Publisher: Arc Publications, Todmorden, 2007
DENKEND AAN JACQUES PRÉVERT EN JOSEPH KOSMA
DENKEND AAN JACQUES PRÉVERT EN JOSEPH KOSMA
Het regende zondie dag in het Noordstation
toen je naar me toekwam
we omhelsden elkaar
je zei dat je blij was
ik wist waar de bus
de 26 die ons zou voeren
langs het volk van Belleville
naar waar het beviel
de Rue des Pyrénées
waar ik ‘obrigado’
tegen de conciërge zei
waar je kon zetten je tas
en wassen je haar
en vragen wat nu
Het regende zon
die dag in het Noordstation
toen je naar me toekwam.
Je had een taak een adres
films over onderdrukte rassen
ver van Abbesses
maar onbedreigd te zien
in een culturele ruimte
ver van de rest
Court Saint-Louis
in die buurt moest je wezen
meteen na de lunch
in Popincourt het Elfde
je trok nieuwe schoenen aan
we liepen via Père-Lachaise
Het regende zon
die dag in het Noordstation
toen je naar me toekwam.
Later in straten
vol afbraak en gaten
in Ménilmontant
wou ik je wijzen
op de tand der tijden
en hoe ons hart desondanks
maar je kneep in mijn hand
en zei dat een ander
en dat de dingen nu eenmaal
Het regende zon
die dag in het Noordstation
toen je naar me toekwam.
Ach de blaren die dood zijn
de passen verstorven
alleen in mijn hoofd nog die deun.
© 1995, Remco Campert
From: Dichter
Publisher: De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam
From: Dichter
Publisher: De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam
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Poems
Poems of Remco Campert
Close
THINKING OF JACQUES PRÉVERT AND JOSEPH KOSMA
It was raining sunlightthat day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me
we hugged each other
you said you felt so happy
I knew where the bus
no. 26 that would take us
through Belleville’s busy streets
to where you liked to be
the Rue des Pyrénées
where I said ‘obrigado’
to the concierge
where you could leave your bag
and wash your hair
and ask what next
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
You’d work to do and an address
films about oppressed peoples
far from Abbesses
which could safely be seen
in an art movie house
far from the masses
Court Saint-Louis
that’s where you had to be
straight after lunch
in Popincourt eleventh district
you put on your new shoes
we crossed Père-Lachaise
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
Much later in streets
full of rubble and potholes
in Ménilmontant
I tried to tell you
about the ravages of time
and how despite all the heart
but you squeezed my hand
and said someone else
and that things were as they were
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
Oh! the leaves they have died
and our footsteps have faded
all I have is that tune.
© 2007, Donald Gardner
From: I Dreamed in the Cities at Night
Publisher: 2007, Arc Publications, Todmorden
From: I Dreamed in the Cities at Night
Publisher: 2007, Arc Publications, Todmorden
THINKING OF JACQUES PRÉVERT AND JOSEPH KOSMA
It was raining sunlightthat day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me
we hugged each other
you said you felt so happy
I knew where the bus
no. 26 that would take us
through Belleville’s busy streets
to where you liked to be
the Rue des Pyrénées
where I said ‘obrigado’
to the concierge
where you could leave your bag
and wash your hair
and ask what next
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
You’d work to do and an address
films about oppressed peoples
far from Abbesses
which could safely be seen
in an art movie house
far from the masses
Court Saint-Louis
that’s where you had to be
straight after lunch
in Popincourt eleventh district
you put on your new shoes
we crossed Père-Lachaise
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
Much later in streets
full of rubble and potholes
in Ménilmontant
I tried to tell you
about the ravages of time
and how despite all the heart
but you squeezed my hand
and said someone else
and that things were as they were
It was raining sunlight
that day in the Gare du Nord
when you came to me.
Oh! the leaves they have died
and our footsteps have faded
all I have is that tune.
© 2007, Donald Gardner
From: I Dreamed in the Cities at Night
Publisher: 2007, Arc Publications, Todmorden
From: I Dreamed in the Cities at Night
Publisher: 2007, Arc Publications, Todmorden
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