Poem
Christine D’haen
The mole
Earth which I breathe in the heavy night,earth for hunger, earth for thirst;
my soft warm breast is filled with blood,
my lungs are clogged with earthen air.
Eyes in which the sunlight flowed
like the golden glow in Danae’s womb, reborn
as a golden son whose eyes, destined to
gleam luminously, corrupted into mud.
Earth hauled by me, bulk of ground
scooped out with fingers to a corridor
behind which runs another corridor so long
that, in further soil, it ends in soil.
Dug in a grave, speechless, drab,
feeding on roots and worms and seeds,
while there are blue-green peacocks,
horses, deer with antlers, nightingales.
© Translation: 1994, Dennis O\'Driscoll and Peter van de Kamp
From: Turning Tides: Modern Dutch & Flemish Verse in English Versions by Irish Poets
Publisher: Story Line Press, Brownsville, 1994
From: Turning Tides: Modern Dutch & Flemish Verse in English Versions by Irish Poets
Publisher: Story Line Press, Brownsville, 1994
Danae (Gr.): King’s daughter who was impregnated in her prison by Zeus in the form of golden rain.
De mol
De mol
Aarde die ’k adem in den zwaren nacht,voor honger aarde en aarde voor den dorst;
mijn zachte en warm met bloed gevulde borst,
mijn longen voor de lucht, met aard bevracht.
Oogen waarin het zonlicht vloeide lijk
de gouden gloed in Danaë’s schoot, herboren
als gouden zoon uit de oogen om te gloren
met glans en wederglans, ontaard in slijk.
Aarde getorst door mij, gewicht van grond
met vingers doorgegraven tot een gang
en achter deze gang een andre gang zoo lang
dat hij in andren grond, in grond uitmondt.
Gedolven in een graf, sprakeloos en vaal,
gevoed met wortelen en worm en zaad,
terwijl de blauw-en-groene pauw bestaat,
het paard, ’t hert met gewei, de nachtegaal.
© 2002, Erven Christine D\'haen
From: Miroirs. Gedichten vanaf 1946
Publisher: Querido, Amsterdam
From: Miroirs. Gedichten vanaf 1946
Publisher: Querido, Amsterdam
Danaë (Gr.): Koningsdochter die in haar gevangenis door Zeus in de gedaante van een gouden regen werd bevrucht.
Poems
Poems of Christine D’haen
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The mole
Earth which I breathe in the heavy night,earth for hunger, earth for thirst;
my soft warm breast is filled with blood,
my lungs are clogged with earthen air.
Eyes in which the sunlight flowed
like the golden glow in Danae’s womb, reborn
as a golden son whose eyes, destined to
gleam luminously, corrupted into mud.
Earth hauled by me, bulk of ground
scooped out with fingers to a corridor
behind which runs another corridor so long
that, in further soil, it ends in soil.
Dug in a grave, speechless, drab,
feeding on roots and worms and seeds,
while there are blue-green peacocks,
horses, deer with antlers, nightingales.
© 1994, Dennis O\'Driscoll and Peter van de Kamp
From: Turning Tides: Modern Dutch & Flemish Verse in English Versions by Irish Poets
Publisher: 1994, Story Line Press, Brownsville
From: Turning Tides: Modern Dutch & Flemish Verse in English Versions by Irish Poets
Publisher: 1994, Story Line Press, Brownsville
Danae (Gr.): King’s daughter who was impregnated in her prison by Zeus in the form of golden rain.
The mole
Earth which I breathe in the heavy night,earth for hunger, earth for thirst;
my soft warm breast is filled with blood,
my lungs are clogged with earthen air.
Eyes in which the sunlight flowed
like the golden glow in Danae’s womb, reborn
as a golden son whose eyes, destined to
gleam luminously, corrupted into mud.
Earth hauled by me, bulk of ground
scooped out with fingers to a corridor
behind which runs another corridor so long
that, in further soil, it ends in soil.
Dug in a grave, speechless, drab,
feeding on roots and worms and seeds,
while there are blue-green peacocks,
horses, deer with antlers, nightingales.
© 1994, Dennis O\'Driscoll and Peter van de Kamp
From: Turning Tides: Modern Dutch & Flemish Verse in English Versions by Irish Poets
Publisher: 1994, Story Line Press, Brownsville
From: Turning Tides: Modern Dutch & Flemish Verse in English Versions by Irish Poets
Publisher: 1994, Story Line Press, Brownsville
Danae (Gr.): King’s daughter who was impregnated in her prison by Zeus in the form of golden rain.
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