Poem
Gerrit Kouwenaar
The Morning
The morning it will never be evening againquesting for standstill it was never light like this
the treetop is on fire in flames unmoving white
ground level cries no cock, never again is empty like it is
the day is frozen in its date, it looks backwards
across the bridge of words that knows no other side
here is one’s home, here is to come apart
the supper sweats one cold, the photo drinks one blind
here what was spoiled goes on, after is gilded paper
thin as the buttefly mourning unknowingly
falling out of its wings, its cloak –
© Translation: 2009, Lloyd Haft
DE OCHTEND
DE OCHTEND
De ochtend dat het nooit meer avond wordttalend naar stilstand was het nooit zo licht
de boomtop staat in brand in vlammen roerloos wit
het maaiveld kraait geen haan, nooit meer ontledigt zich
de dag vriest in zijn datum vast, hij ziet zich na
over de brug van taal die anderzijds niet is
hier hoort men thuis opdat men zich verliest
de maaltijd zweet zich koud, de foto drinkt zich blind
hier duurt zich wat bedierf, namaals is goudpapier
dun als de vlinder die onwetend rouwt
en in zijn mantel uit zijn vleugels valt –
© 2006, Gerrit Kouwenaar
From: De Ochtend
Publisher: Uitgeverij 69, Hilversum
From: De Ochtend
Publisher: Uitgeverij 69, Hilversum
Poems
Poems of Gerrit Kouwenaar
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The Morning
The morning it will never be evening againquesting for standstill it was never light like this
the treetop is on fire in flames unmoving white
ground level cries no cock, never again is empty like it is
the day is frozen in its date, it looks backwards
across the bridge of words that knows no other side
here is one’s home, here is to come apart
the supper sweats one cold, the photo drinks one blind
here what was spoiled goes on, after is gilded paper
thin as the buttefly mourning unknowingly
falling out of its wings, its cloak –
© 2009, Lloyd Haft
From: De Ochtend
From: De Ochtend
The Morning
The morning it will never be evening againquesting for standstill it was never light like this
the treetop is on fire in flames unmoving white
ground level cries no cock, never again is empty like it is
the day is frozen in its date, it looks backwards
across the bridge of words that knows no other side
here is one’s home, here is to come apart
the supper sweats one cold, the photo drinks one blind
here what was spoiled goes on, after is gilded paper
thin as the buttefly mourning unknowingly
falling out of its wings, its cloak –
© 2009, Lloyd Haft
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