Poem
Geert van Istendael
Scythe
Iron beats iron on an iron chair,sharpened, hardened she comes into her own,
circle segment on edge, her true aim,
the swathe she cuts, caresses and revolves.
The whetstone impresses her: be cool, be cruel.
Sandglass and bones are strangers to her,
in dew on grass she finds her element.
See her wave, running through the meadowland.
© Translation: 2009, Willem Groenewegen
Zeis
Zeis
IJzer slaat ijzer op een stoel van ijzer,gehaard, gehard vindt zij haar ware aard,
cirkelsegment op snee, haar ware doel,
het zwad dat zij onthoofdde, aait en draait.
De wetsteen scherpt haar in: wees koel, wees wreed.
Het zandglas en de knekels zijn haar vreemd,
in dauw op gras vindt zij haar element.
Zie hoe zij zwaaiend door het hooiland rent.
© 2001, Geert van Istendael
From: Taalmachine
Publisher: Atlas, Amsterdam
From: Taalmachine
Publisher: Atlas, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Geert van Istendael
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Scythe
Iron beats iron on an iron chair,sharpened, hardened she comes into her own,
circle segment on edge, her true aim,
the swathe she cuts, caresses and revolves.
The whetstone impresses her: be cool, be cruel.
Sandglass and bones are strangers to her,
in dew on grass she finds her element.
See her wave, running through the meadowland.
© 2009, Willem Groenewegen
From: Taalmachine
From: Taalmachine
Scythe
Iron beats iron on an iron chair,sharpened, hardened she comes into her own,
circle segment on edge, her true aim,
the swathe she cuts, caresses and revolves.
The whetstone impresses her: be cool, be cruel.
Sandglass and bones are strangers to her,
in dew on grass she finds her element.
See her wave, running through the meadowland.
© 2009, Willem Groenewegen
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