Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ruth Lasters

Claim

If I were a road, I’d claim the right to strike. Occasionally not having to run
dumbly from point A to point B, but suddenly
bend to an elsewhere, unspecified, without destination, landmarks. Full of people
who from purposeful travel, all at once stray into

a quite absolute stasis. And a poet who then whispers a
direction in their ear, hints on orientation
though on condition that they recite by heart

a poem of his, for example this (Slower!
Softer! Pauses for breath!) Be warned: at each wrongly
mumbled line, the road will fork and twist
still further.

Eis

Eis

Was ik een weg, ik eiste stakingsrecht. Zo nu en dan niet
lullig van punt A naar B te hoeven lopen, maar plots krommen
naar een elders, onbepaald, zonder bestemming, ijkpunten. Vol
mensen die van doelgericht verplaatsen, eensklaps dwalen tot

zelfs absolute stilstand. En een dichter die hen dan
een windrichting influistert, hints ter oriëntatie,
weliswaar op voorwaarde dat zij vanbuiten

een gedicht van hem, bijvoorbeeld dit (Trager!
Zachter! Adempauzes!) Opgepast: bij elke foutief
gepreveld vers, vertakt en kromt de baan
zich verder.
Close

Claim

If I were a road, I’d claim the right to strike. Occasionally not having to run
dumbly from point A to point B, but suddenly
bend to an elsewhere, unspecified, without destination, landmarks. Full of people
who from purposeful travel, all at once stray into

a quite absolute stasis. And a poet who then whispers a
direction in their ear, hints on orientation
though on condition that they recite by heart

a poem of his, for example this (Slower!
Softer! Pauses for breath!) Be warned: at each wrongly
mumbled line, the road will fork and twist
still further.

Claim

If I were a road, I’d claim the right to strike. Occasionally not having to run
dumbly from point A to point B, but suddenly
bend to an elsewhere, unspecified, without destination, landmarks. Full of people
who from purposeful travel, all at once stray into

a quite absolute stasis. And a poet who then whispers a
direction in their ear, hints on orientation
though on condition that they recite by heart

a poem of his, for example this (Slower!
Softer! Pauses for breath!) Be warned: at each wrongly
mumbled line, the road will fork and twist
still further.
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