Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Remco Campert

LAMENT

Here now    along the long deep water
that I thought that I thought that you always
that you always

here now    along the long deep water
where behind the rushes    behind the rushes the sun
that I thought that you always but always

that always your eyes    your eyes and the breeze
your eyes and the breeze
always ruffling    ruffling the water

that always in a trembling silence
that I would always live in a trembling silence
that you always    those waving rushes always

along the long deep water   that your skin would always
that always in the afternoon your skin
always in the summer in the afternoon your skin

that always your eyes would melt
that your eyes would always melt in happiness
always in the motionless afternoon

along the long deep water    that I thought
that I thought you would always
that I thought that happiness would always

that always the light motionless in the afternoon
that always the afternoon light    your ochre-coloured shoulder
your ochre-coloured shoulder always in the afternoon light

that always your cry    hanging
always your bird’s cry    hanging
in the afternoon    in the summer    in the breeze

that always the breeze trembling    that always but
always the ruffled water    the afternoon    your skin
I thought that everything would always    I did not think that ever

here now along the long deep water    that ever
I thought that always    that never    that you would never
that frost would never   that no ice would ever the water



here now along the long deep water    I never thought
that snow would ever the cypress    I never thought
that snow    that the cypress would never    that you would never more

LAMENTO

LAMENTO

Hier nu   langs het lange diepe water
dat ik dacht dat ik dacht dat je altijd maar
dat je altijd maar

hier nu   langs het lange diepe water
waar achter oeverriet   achter oeverriet de zon
dat ik dacht dat je altijd maar altijd

dat altijd maar je ogen   je ogen en de lucht
altijd maar je ogen en de lucht
altijd maar rimpelend   in het water rimpelend

dat altijd in levende stilte
dat ik altijd zou leven in levende stilte
dat je altijd maar   dat wuivend oeverriet altijd maar

langs het lange diepe water   dat altijd maar je huid
dat altijd maar in de middag je huid
altijd maar in de zomer in de middag je huid

dat altijd maar je ogen zouden breken
dat altijd van geluk je ogen zouden breken
altijd maar in de roerloze middag

langs het lange diepe water   dat ik dacht
dat ik dacht dat je altijd maar
dat ik dacht dat geluk altijd maar

dat altijd maar het licht roerloos in de middag
dat altijd maar het middaglicht   je okeren schouder
je okeren schouder altijd in het middaglicht

dat altijd maar je kreet   hangend
altijd maar je vogelkreet   hangend
in de middag   in de zomer   in de lucht

dat altijd maar de levende lucht   dat altijd maar
altijd maar het rimpelende water   de middag   je huid
ik dacht dat alles altijd maar   ik dacht dat nooit

hier nu langs het lange diepe water   dat nooit
ik dacht dat altijd   dat nooit   dat je nooit
dat nooit vorst   dat geen ijs ooit het water 



hier nu langs het lange diepe water   dacht ik nooit
dat sneeuw ooit de cipres   dacht ik nooit
dat sneeuw   nooit de cipres   dat je nooit meer
Close

LAMENT

Here now    along the long deep water
that I thought that I thought that you always
that you always

here now    along the long deep water
where behind the rushes    behind the rushes the sun
that I thought that you always but always

that always your eyes    your eyes and the breeze
your eyes and the breeze
always ruffling    ruffling the water

that always in a trembling silence
that I would always live in a trembling silence
that you always    those waving rushes always

along the long deep water   that your skin would always
that always in the afternoon your skin
always in the summer in the afternoon your skin

that always your eyes would melt
that your eyes would always melt in happiness
always in the motionless afternoon

along the long deep water    that I thought
that I thought you would always
that I thought that happiness would always

that always the light motionless in the afternoon
that always the afternoon light    your ochre-coloured shoulder
your ochre-coloured shoulder always in the afternoon light

that always your cry    hanging
always your bird’s cry    hanging
in the afternoon    in the summer    in the breeze

that always the breeze trembling    that always but
always the ruffled water    the afternoon    your skin
I thought that everything would always    I did not think that ever

here now along the long deep water    that ever
I thought that always    that never    that you would never
that frost would never   that no ice would ever the water



here now along the long deep water    I never thought
that snow would ever the cypress    I never thought
that snow    that the cypress would never    that you would never more

LAMENT

Here now    along the long deep water
that I thought that I thought that you always
that you always

here now    along the long deep water
where behind the rushes    behind the rushes the sun
that I thought that you always but always

that always your eyes    your eyes and the breeze
your eyes and the breeze
always ruffling    ruffling the water

that always in a trembling silence
that I would always live in a trembling silence
that you always    those waving rushes always

along the long deep water   that your skin would always
that always in the afternoon your skin
always in the summer in the afternoon your skin

that always your eyes would melt
that your eyes would always melt in happiness
always in the motionless afternoon

along the long deep water    that I thought
that I thought you would always
that I thought that happiness would always

that always the light motionless in the afternoon
that always the afternoon light    your ochre-coloured shoulder
your ochre-coloured shoulder always in the afternoon light

that always your cry    hanging
always your bird’s cry    hanging
in the afternoon    in the summer    in the breeze

that always the breeze trembling    that always but
always the ruffled water    the afternoon    your skin
I thought that everything would always    I did not think that ever

here now along the long deep water    that ever
I thought that always    that never    that you would never
that frost would never   that no ice would ever the water



here now along the long deep water    I never thought
that snow would ever the cypress    I never thought
that snow    that the cypress would never    that you would never more
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
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