Poem
Guido Gezelle
SWIFTS
“See, see, see,see! see! see!
see!! see!! see!!
see!!!”
hear hear these
weeping swifts
twice or thrice
three,
sweeping and
weeping there:
“Do we see . . .
see
anyone
we can’t flee?
We, we? we??
we???”
Peeping and
cheeping, lithe
and disci-
plined;
wheeling and
reeling as
quick as the
wind;
lifting and
drifting
so swift on the
wing,
going and
rowing round
spires they
swing.
Down they are
gliding, soon
widening their
flight;
skyward are
waving their
wings in the
height:
scarcely I
hear these . . . I
no longer
see,
singing still
vividly:
“We??? we?? We?
We . . .”
© Translation: 1989, Paul Claes and Christine D’haen
From: The Evening and the Rose: 30 poems
Publisher: Guido Gezellegenootschap, Antwerp, 1989
From: The Evening and the Rose: 30 poems
Publisher: Guido Gezellegenootschap, Antwerp, 1989
GIERZWALUWEN
GIERZWALUWEN
“Zie, zie, zie,zie! zie! zie!
zie!! zie!! zie!!
zie!!!”
tieren de
zwaluwen,
twee- driemaal
drie,
zwierende en
gierende:
“Niemand, die . . .
die
bieden den
stiet ons zal!
Wie? wie? wie??
wie???”
Piepende en
kriepende,
zwak en ge-
zwind;
haaiende en
draaiende,
rap als de
wind;
wiegende en
vliegende,
vlug op de
vlerk,
spoeien en
roeien ze
ringsom de
kerk.
Leege nu
zweven ze, en
geven ze
bucht;
hooge nu
hemelt hun\'
vlerke, in de
lucht:
amper nog
hoore ik . . . en,
die \'k niet en
zie,
lijvelijk
zingen ze:
“Wie??? wie?? wie?
wie . . .”
© 1897, Guido Gezelle
From: Poëzie en proza
Publisher: Bert Bakker, Amsterdam
From: Poëzie en proza
Publisher: Bert Bakker, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Guido Gezelle
Close
SWIFTS
“See, see, see,see! see! see!
see!! see!! see!!
see!!!”
hear hear these
weeping swifts
twice or thrice
three,
sweeping and
weeping there:
“Do we see . . .
see
anyone
we can’t flee?
We, we? we??
we???”
Peeping and
cheeping, lithe
and disci-
plined;
wheeling and
reeling as
quick as the
wind;
lifting and
drifting
so swift on the
wing,
going and
rowing round
spires they
swing.
Down they are
gliding, soon
widening their
flight;
skyward are
waving their
wings in the
height:
scarcely I
hear these . . . I
no longer
see,
singing still
vividly:
“We??? we?? We?
We . . .”
© 1989, Paul Claes and Christine D’haen
From: The Evening and the Rose: 30 poems
Publisher: 1989, Guido Gezellegenootschap, Antwerp
From: The Evening and the Rose: 30 poems
Publisher: 1989, Guido Gezellegenootschap, Antwerp
SWIFTS
“See, see, see,see! see! see!
see!! see!! see!!
see!!!”
hear hear these
weeping swifts
twice or thrice
three,
sweeping and
weeping there:
“Do we see . . .
see
anyone
we can’t flee?
We, we? we??
we???”
Peeping and
cheeping, lithe
and disci-
plined;
wheeling and
reeling as
quick as the
wind;
lifting and
drifting
so swift on the
wing,
going and
rowing round
spires they
swing.
Down they are
gliding, soon
widening their
flight;
skyward are
waving their
wings in the
height:
scarcely I
hear these . . . I
no longer
see,
singing still
vividly:
“We??? we?? We?
We . . .”
© 1989, Paul Claes and Christine D’haen
From: The Evening and the Rose: 30 poems
Publisher: 1989, Guido Gezellegenootschap, Antwerp
From: The Evening and the Rose: 30 poems
Publisher: 1989, Guido Gezellegenootschap, Antwerp
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