Poem
Linda Maria Baros
ON THE RINGROAD
Only the girls from the suburb
step out on to the big road,
I’ve already told you that,
spitting out on the walls
their long streams of sperm.
Do not pity them out of pity,
or of disgust, at home, in your garret.
You cannot see into their soul,
since they have hidden the key between their tits.
The girls from the suburb
toss clouds at each other, strap in hand.
Their smile does not open.
Like a hymen re-sealed
by the generosity of rapists.
The girls from the suburb are alive,
I’ve already told you that. Just like the earth.
© Translation: 2008, Stephen Romer
OP DE RINGWEG
Alleen de buurtmeisjesgaan uit op de hoofdweg,
zoals ik je al zei,
en spuwen lange spermamunten
op de muren.
Beklaag ze niet langer uit medelijden
of afkeer, bij jou, op je mansarde.
Je kunt niet in hun ziel kijken
want ze hebben de sleutel tussen hun billen verborgen.
De buurtmeisjes
springen de wolken af met een krommes in de hand.
Hun glimlach gaat niet open.
Het is als een maagdenvlies, dichtgenaaid
door de edelmoed van de verkrachters.
De buurtmeisjes zijn levendig,
zoals ik je al zei. Levendig als de aarde.
© Vertaling: 2008, Micha J. Knijn
SUR LE PÉRIPHÉRIQUE
Il n’y a que les filles de quartier
qui sortent sur la grand-route,
je te l’ai déjà dit,
crachant sur les murs
de longues monnaies de sperme.
Ne les plains plus par pitié,
par dégoût, chez toi, dans ta mansarde.
Tu ne peux pas regarder dans leur âme,
puisqu’elles ont caché la clé entre leurs miches.
Les filles de quartier
se jettent des nuages la sangle à la main.
Leur sourire ne s’ouvre pas.
Ce serait comme un hymen recousu
par la générosité des violeurs.
Les filles de quartier sont vivantes,
je te l’ai déjà dit. Tout comme la terre.
From: La Maison en lames de rasoir
Publisher: Cheyne,
Publisher: Cheyne,
Poems
Poems of Linda Maria Baros
Close
ON THE RINGROAD
Only the girls from the suburb
step out on to the big road,
I’ve already told you that,
spitting out on the walls
their long streams of sperm.
Do not pity them out of pity,
or of disgust, at home, in your garret.
You cannot see into their soul,
since they have hidden the key between their tits.
The girls from the suburb
toss clouds at each other, strap in hand.
Their smile does not open.
Like a hymen re-sealed
by the generosity of rapists.
The girls from the suburb are alive,
I’ve already told you that. Just like the earth.
© 2008, Stephen Romer
From: La Maison en lames de rasoir
From: La Maison en lames de rasoir
ON THE RINGROAD
Only the girls from the suburb
step out on to the big road,
I’ve already told you that,
spitting out on the walls
their long streams of sperm.
Do not pity them out of pity,
or of disgust, at home, in your garret.
You cannot see into their soul,
since they have hidden the key between their tits.
The girls from the suburb
toss clouds at each other, strap in hand.
Their smile does not open.
Like a hymen re-sealed
by the generosity of rapists.
The girls from the suburb are alive,
I’ve already told you that. Just like the earth.
© 2008, Stephen Romer
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