Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gerrit Kouwenaar

The Morning

The morning it will never be evening again
questing 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 –

DE OCHTEND

DE OCHTEND

De ochtend dat het nooit meer avond wordt
talend 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 –
Close

The Morning

The morning it will never be evening again
questing 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 –

The Morning

The morning it will never be evening again
questing 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 –
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