Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Raúl Henao

TO LOSE ONE’S HEAD

While staring at the chicken
going round in the roaster



I became aware that in spite of my every effort
I could not close my mouth



Fortunately this had gone unheeded
by the people who at that hour were accustomed
to stroll along the street



When someone, their curiosity aroused, stopped
at my side and had a look



Then with the air of a circus trainer who puts
his head in the lion’s mouth



He introduced his into my mouth and then
extracted in without seeming to suffer any damage



Only in the embarrassed expression on his face
Could you guess that he had  just lost his head

PERDER LA CABEZA

PERDER LA CABEZA

Mientras miraba fijamente las vueltas que daba
un pollo en el asador



Advertí que a pesar de poner todo empeño de mi
parte no podía cerrar la boca



Afortunadamente había pasado desapercibido para
las personas que a esa hora acostumbran pasearse
a lo largo de la calle



Cuando tocado por la curiosidad alguien se detuvo
a mi lado y echó una ojeada



Luego con el aire del domador de circo que mete
su cabeza en la boca de un león



Introdujo la suya en mi boca y volvió a sacarla
al parecer sin ningún desperfecto



Sólo en la expresión avergonzada de su rostro se
adivinaba que acababa de perder la cabeza.
Close

TO LOSE ONE’S HEAD

While staring at the chicken
going round in the roaster



I became aware that in spite of my every effort
I could not close my mouth



Fortunately this had gone unheeded
by the people who at that hour were accustomed
to stroll along the street



When someone, their curiosity aroused, stopped
at my side and had a look



Then with the air of a circus trainer who puts
his head in the lion’s mouth



He introduced his into my mouth and then
extracted in without seeming to suffer any damage



Only in the embarrassed expression on his face
Could you guess that he had  just lost his head

TO LOSE ONE’S HEAD

While staring at the chicken
going round in the roaster



I became aware that in spite of my every effort
I could not close my mouth



Fortunately this had gone unheeded
by the people who at that hour were accustomed
to stroll along the street



When someone, their curiosity aroused, stopped
at my side and had a look



Then with the air of a circus trainer who puts
his head in the lion’s mouth



He introduced his into my mouth and then
extracted in without seeming to suffer any damage



Only in the embarrassed expression on his face
Could you guess that he had  just lost his head
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