Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Hasso Krull

Look at him

Look at him. What makes this man sad?
Did something happen? I don’t know. Maybe so.
Maybe it actually did. Maybe it really happened.
But maybe not. Maybe he isn’t actually sad.

Maybe it was yesterday. But maybe not.
Maybe so. Maybe a few days before.
Maybe never. Maybe on some future day.
Some stupid drinking will be done. Maybe more than necessary.

Maybe less. Maybe he should have drunk more.
Wasn’t there a lake there? Why don’t you drink the entire lake?
But maybe there wasn’t a lake. It was actually a river.
Maybe actually a sea. Maybe there actually wasn’t any water.

Maybe it was a girl. Maybe another.
Did something happen? Who knows. Maybe so.
But maybe not. Some stupid drinking will be done.
But maybe not. Maybe there really was no water there.

Kijk hem

Kijk hem. Waarom is die man verdrietig?
Is er iets gebeurd? Ik weet het niet. Misschien wel.
Misschien inderdaad. Misschien is er inderdaad iets gebeurd.
Maar misschien ook niet. Misschien is hij helemaal niet verdrietig.
 
Misschien was het gisteren. Maar misschien niet.
Misschien wel. Misschien een paar dagen eerder.
Misschien nooit. Misschien toch een keer.
Er werd stevig gedronken. Misschien meer dan goed was.
 
Misschien minder. Er had misschien meer gedronken moeten worden.
Er was toch een meer? Waarom heb je het meer niet leeggedronken?
Maar misschien was er geen meer. Maar meer een rivier.
Misschien zelfs de zee. Misschien was er helemaal geen water.
 
Misschien was er een meisje. Misschien een ander meisje.
Is er iets gebeurd? Ik weet het niet. Misschien wel.
Maar misschien niet. Er werd vreselijk gedronken.
Maar misschien ook niet. Misschien was er helemaal geen water.

Vaata teda. Mispärast see mees on kurb?
Kas juhtus midagi? Ei tea. Võib-olla küll.
Võib-olla tõesti. Võib-olla tõesti juhtus.
Aga võib-olla ei. Võib-olla ta polegi kurb.

Võib-olla see oli eile. Aga võib-olla mitte.
Võib-olla küll. Võib-olla paar päeva varem.
Võb-olla mitte kunagi. Võib-olla ükskord siiski.
Sai lolli moodi joodud. Võib-olla rohkem kui vaja.

Võib-olla vähem. Oleks pidanud jooma rohkem.
Seal oli ju järv? Miks sa järve tühjaks ei joonud?
Aga võib-olla järve polnud. Oli hoopis jõgi.
Võib-olla hoopis meri. Võib-olla ei olnudki vett.

Võib-olla see oli üks tüdruk. Võib-olla teine.
Kas juhtus midagi? Ei tea. Võib-olla küll.
Aga võib-olla mitte. Sai hoopis lolli moodi joodud.
Aga võib-olla ei. Võib-olla seal polnudki vett.
Close

Look at him

Look at him. What makes this man sad?
Did something happen? I don’t know. Maybe so.
Maybe it actually did. Maybe it really happened.
But maybe not. Maybe he isn’t actually sad.

Maybe it was yesterday. But maybe not.
Maybe so. Maybe a few days before.
Maybe never. Maybe on some future day.
Some stupid drinking will be done. Maybe more than necessary.

Maybe less. Maybe he should have drunk more.
Wasn’t there a lake there? Why don’t you drink the entire lake?
But maybe there wasn’t a lake. It was actually a river.
Maybe actually a sea. Maybe there actually wasn’t any water.

Maybe it was a girl. Maybe another.
Did something happen? Who knows. Maybe so.
But maybe not. Some stupid drinking will be done.
But maybe not. Maybe there really was no water there.

Look at him

Look at him. What makes this man sad?
Did something happen? I don’t know. Maybe so.
Maybe it actually did. Maybe it really happened.
But maybe not. Maybe he isn’t actually sad.

Maybe it was yesterday. But maybe not.
Maybe so. Maybe a few days before.
Maybe never. Maybe on some future day.
Some stupid drinking will be done. Maybe more than necessary.

Maybe less. Maybe he should have drunk more.
Wasn’t there a lake there? Why don’t you drink the entire lake?
But maybe there wasn’t a lake. It was actually a river.
Maybe actually a sea. Maybe there actually wasn’t any water.

Maybe it was a girl. Maybe another.
Did something happen? Who knows. Maybe so.
But maybe not. Some stupid drinking will be done.
But maybe not. Maybe there really was no water there.
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