Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Herman Gorter

Oh when the sun shines

*


Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
in that lustre
where shadows cluster,
and its head only dimly heaves
shrouded in shadowy leaves –
come hither, come hither
you white-feet together
together the hands, the feet –
the laugh-toothed
the blue-eyed
the blond-high
the silver-word keening one,
the lined head leaning one
backwards up to the sky –
sweet, sweet, slowly fly
through the sunrise glow
in the tall hedgerow
of sun – sweet sweet slowly goes by,
don’t pass too soon, pass, pass, the sky
still hangs trembling behind you –
forever longing for you
forever, forever – don’t fly too fast –
as you pass
I stretch out my arms
in longing, in longing
I stretch out my arms,
don’t fly too fast.

Oh the back of you’s so white,
tanned flesh no longer glows –
where to the shoulders it rose,
where light hair stands
in trembling strands
mid the sun’s great bands
coheres on high,
up on high, up on high
as you fly.

Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
where shadows cluster
and gone is the lustre,
your lustre,
all lustre.

*

*


O als de zon schijnt
en de aard wegkwijnt
in dien luister
weg in \'t duister,
en maar scheem\'rend het hoofd
opheft in schauw omloofd -
treedt nader, treedt nader
blankvoeten te gader
te gader de voeten, de handen -
de lachtande
de blauwooge
de blondhooge
de zilverwoorden weenende,
het lijnig hoofd leenende
achterover omhoog in de lucht -
zoet, zoet, langzaam vlucht
door het zonnedagen
in de hooge hagen
zon - zoet zoet langzaam vlucht,
ga niet te gauw voorbij, voorbij, voorbij, de lucht
blijft hangende bevende achter u -
verlangende eeuwig naar u
eeuwig, eeuwig - vlucht niet te vlug -
achter uw rug
rek ik de armen
van verlangen, van verlangen
rek ik de armen,
vlucht niet te vlug.

O hoe blank zijt ge van rug,
zongebrand, uitgeglansd vleesch  -
waar het tot schouder oprees,
war de lichte haren
in trillende snaren
in de zonnescharen
hangen saam in de lucht,
in de lucht in de lucht
terwijl ge vlucht.

O als de zon schijnt
en de aard wegkwijnt
wèg in het duister -
en dan wèg de luister,
uwe luister,
alle luister.
Close

Oh when the sun shines

*


Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
in that lustre
where shadows cluster,
and its head only dimly heaves
shrouded in shadowy leaves –
come hither, come hither
you white-feet together
together the hands, the feet –
the laugh-toothed
the blue-eyed
the blond-high
the silver-word keening one,
the lined head leaning one
backwards up to the sky –
sweet, sweet, slowly fly
through the sunrise glow
in the tall hedgerow
of sun – sweet sweet slowly goes by,
don’t pass too soon, pass, pass, the sky
still hangs trembling behind you –
forever longing for you
forever, forever – don’t fly too fast –
as you pass
I stretch out my arms
in longing, in longing
I stretch out my arms,
don’t fly too fast.

Oh the back of you’s so white,
tanned flesh no longer glows –
where to the shoulders it rose,
where light hair stands
in trembling strands
mid the sun’s great bands
coheres on high,
up on high, up on high
as you fly.

Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
where shadows cluster
and gone is the lustre,
your lustre,
all lustre.

Oh when the sun shines

*


Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
in that lustre
where shadows cluster,
and its head only dimly heaves
shrouded in shadowy leaves –
come hither, come hither
you white-feet together
together the hands, the feet –
the laugh-toothed
the blue-eyed
the blond-high
the silver-word keening one,
the lined head leaning one
backwards up to the sky –
sweet, sweet, slowly fly
through the sunrise glow
in the tall hedgerow
of sun – sweet sweet slowly goes by,
don’t pass too soon, pass, pass, the sky
still hangs trembling behind you –
forever longing for you
forever, forever – don’t fly too fast –
as you pass
I stretch out my arms
in longing, in longing
I stretch out my arms,
don’t fly too fast.

Oh the back of you’s so white,
tanned flesh no longer glows –
where to the shoulders it rose,
where light hair stands
in trembling strands
mid the sun’s great bands
coheres on high,
up on high, up on high
as you fly.

Oh when the sun shines
and the earth fades and pines
where shadows cluster
and gone is the lustre,
your lustre,
all lustre.
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