Poem
Rogi Wieg
KEEP TO THIS
Only what’s left of youat this funeral, only some flowers, and
a municipal poet, yes, me. I too
have tried, only not under a
train, differently, perhaps less fatally:
in those final
seconds something can still be done, that’s how I did it.
What’s left of you, what they could still find, I
speak to it as if to a man
at a station, in a café, what I say
concerns the end and that’s so ordinary, so
deadly dull that I’m almost ashamed, but
what does one say faced with a drama?
A drama with some flowers, missing
characters. Or people? For me this is all just
a story: like the whole of reality.
Rest. Do nothing else, especially nothing rash.
Keep to this and if not nature will
probably keep you to it.
© Translation: 2007, Paul Vincent
Publisher: Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam, 2007
Publisher: Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam, 2007
Read at the funeral (on 14 November 2003) of an unknown young man of about twenty-five who killed himself.
HOUD HET HIERBIJ
HOUD HET HIERBIJ
Alleen wat van je restenop deze uitvaart, alleen wat bloemen,
en een gemeentelijk dichter, ja, ik.
Ook ik heb het geprobeerd, alleen
niet voor een trein, anders, misschien
minder dodelijk: in die allerlaatste
seconden is nog iets mogelijk, zo deed ik het.
Wat er van je over is, wat men nog kon vinden,
ik praat ertegen als tegen een man
op een station, in een koffiehuis, wat ik zeg
gaat over het einde en dat is zo gewoontjes,
zo dodelijk saai dat ik me bijna schaam,
maar wat te zeggen bij een drama?
Een drama met wat bloemen, ontbrekende
personages. Of personen? Voor mij is dit alles
maar een verhaal: als de volledige werkelijkheid.
Rust. Doe niets anders, vooral geen gekke dingen.
Houd het hierbij en anders zal de natuur
je waarschijnlijk hierbij houden.
© 2007, Rogi Wieg
From: De kam
Publisher: De Arbeiderspers, Amsterdam
From: De kam
Publisher: De Arbeiderspers, Amsterdam
Voorgelezen bij de begrafenis (op 14 november 2003) van een onbekende jongeman van ongeveer vijfentwintig jaar die zichzelf heeft omgebracht.
Poems
Poems of Rogi Wieg
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KEEP TO THIS
Only what’s left of youat this funeral, only some flowers, and
a municipal poet, yes, me. I too
have tried, only not under a
train, differently, perhaps less fatally:
in those final
seconds something can still be done, that’s how I did it.
What’s left of you, what they could still find, I
speak to it as if to a man
at a station, in a café, what I say
concerns the end and that’s so ordinary, so
deadly dull that I’m almost ashamed, but
what does one say faced with a drama?
A drama with some flowers, missing
characters. Or people? For me this is all just
a story: like the whole of reality.
Rest. Do nothing else, especially nothing rash.
Keep to this and if not nature will
probably keep you to it.
© 2007, Paul Vincent
From: De kam
Publisher: 2007, Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam
From: De kam
Publisher: 2007, Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam
Read at the funeral (on 14 November 2003) of an unknown young man of about twenty-five who killed himself.
KEEP TO THIS
Only what’s left of youat this funeral, only some flowers, and
a municipal poet, yes, me. I too
have tried, only not under a
train, differently, perhaps less fatally:
in those final
seconds something can still be done, that’s how I did it.
What’s left of you, what they could still find, I
speak to it as if to a man
at a station, in a café, what I say
concerns the end and that’s so ordinary, so
deadly dull that I’m almost ashamed, but
what does one say faced with a drama?
A drama with some flowers, missing
characters. Or people? For me this is all just
a story: like the whole of reality.
Rest. Do nothing else, especially nothing rash.
Keep to this and if not nature will
probably keep you to it.
© 2007, Paul Vincent
Publisher: 2007, Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam
Publisher: 2007, Poetry International Festival, Rotterdam
Read at the funeral (on 14 November 2003) of an unknown young man of about twenty-five who killed himself.
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