Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Remco Campert

LIGHT

We wanted light more light
so we cut the tree down its longing
stood in the way of ours
creaking groaning screeching
and with a furious swish of leaves
its last splinters sundered
and down came the tree –
the wind that had played on it
fled in panic
 
At last we had light in our room
in that light we gazed at each other
and saw our irreparable face

LICHT

LICHT

We wilden licht meer licht
we kapten de boom die in zijn eigen verlangen
ons verlangen in de weg stond
de boom kermde kreunde kraakte
zijn laatste vezel scheurde
met een woedend ruisen van zijn blaadjes
sleurde hij zijn leven neer –
de wind die hem bespeeld had
week geschrokken uit
 
Eindelijk hadden we licht in de kamer
in dat licht keken we elkaar aan
en zagen ons onherstelbare gezicht
Close

LIGHT

We wanted light more light
so we cut the tree down its longing
stood in the way of ours
creaking groaning screeching
and with a furious swish of leaves
its last splinters sundered
and down came the tree –
the wind that had played on it
fled in panic
 
At last we had light in our room
in that light we gazed at each other
and saw our irreparable face

LIGHT

We wanted light more light
so we cut the tree down its longing
stood in the way of ours
creaking groaning screeching
and with a furious swish of leaves
its last splinters sundered
and down came the tree –
the wind that had played on it
fled in panic
 
At last we had light in our room
in that light we gazed at each other
and saw our irreparable 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