Poem
Admiel Kosman
PLUM IN JAPANESE
The moon casts an amusing tree-shadow
over the end of your left breast, and writes
for me in Japanese:
plum.
And because I read
moon-writing so well,
I have no problem at all deciphering
the glowing words,
written in his dazed script
for me,
above your left breast,
that the moon transcribes so slowly and laboriously
just for me,
in moon-writing, from up
to down, at the end of your left breast,
a black
point
that the moon places
with a hand bound
by light,
at the end of
one curved
nipple,
at the end of the breast-mountain,
which means
One
thing
in Japanese:
plum.
© Translation: 2011, Lisa Katz
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011
PRUIM IN HET JAPANS
Aan de rand van je linkerborst werpt de maan
Een grappige boomschaduw en hij schrijft het
Voor mij op in het Japans:
Pruim.
En daar ik zo bedreven ben
In het lezen van het maanschrift,
Kost het mij niet de minste moeite
De lichtende letters te ontcijferen
Die met zijn maanzieke hand
Voor mij worden opgetekend
Boven op je linkerborst.
En zo, zwaar en traag, zet de maan
Voor mij alleen, in een maanschrift, van
Bovenaf, aan het eind van je linkerborst
Een punt,
Een zwarte punt,
Die de maan
Met een vastgebonden
Lichthand
Neerzet
Aan het uiteinde
Van een eentepelige
Welving,
Aan het eind van een borstberg,
Die in het Japans
Slechts één betekenis
Heeft:
Pruim.
© Vertaling: 2016, Shulamith Bamberger
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
שזיף ביפנית
© 2007, Admiel Kosman
From: The Alternative Prayerbook
Publisher: Hakibbutz Hameuchad, Tel Aviv
From: The Alternative Prayerbook
Publisher: Hakibbutz Hameuchad, Tel Aviv
Poems
Poems of Admiel Kosman
Close
PLUM IN JAPANESE
The moon casts an amusing tree-shadow
over the end of your left breast, and writes
for me in Japanese:
plum.
And because I read
moon-writing so well,
I have no problem at all deciphering
the glowing words,
written in his dazed script
for me,
above your left breast,
that the moon transcribes so slowly and laboriously
just for me,
in moon-writing, from up
to down, at the end of your left breast,
a black
point
that the moon places
with a hand bound
by light,
at the end of
one curved
nipple,
at the end of the breast-mountain,
which means
One
thing
in Japanese:
plum.
© 2011, Lisa Katz
From: The Alternative Prayerbook
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW, Tel Aviv
From: The Alternative Prayerbook
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW, Tel Aviv
PLUM IN JAPANESE
The moon casts an amusing tree-shadow
over the end of your left breast, and writes
for me in Japanese:
plum.
And because I read
moon-writing so well,
I have no problem at all deciphering
the glowing words,
written in his dazed script
for me,
above your left breast,
that the moon transcribes so slowly and laboriously
just for me,
in moon-writing, from up
to down, at the end of your left breast,
a black
point
that the moon places
with a hand bound
by light,
at the end of
one curved
nipple,
at the end of the breast-mountain,
which means
One
thing
in Japanese:
plum.
© 2011, Lisa Katz
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
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