Poem
Ruth Lasters
Claim
If I were a road, I’d claim the right to strike. Occasionally not having to rundumbly 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.
© Translation: 2009, Paul Vincent
Eis
Eis
Was ik een weg, ik eiste stakingsrecht. Zo nu en dan nietlullig 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.
© 2007, Ruth Lasters
From: Vouwplannen
Publisher: Meulenhoff/Manteau, Antwerp
From: Vouwplannen
Publisher: Meulenhoff/Manteau, Antwerp
Poems
Poems of Ruth Lasters
Close
Claim
If I were a road, I’d claim the right to strike. Occasionally not having to rundumbly 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.
© 2009, Paul Vincent
From: Vouwplannen
From: Vouwplannen
Claim
If I were a road, I’d claim the right to strike. Occasionally not having to rundumbly 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.
© 2009, Paul Vincent
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