Poem
Jacob Groot
FLIRT
At 10 o’clock I reported to the gatesof the promised land. At 12 o’clock the light
went out. At 3 o’clock the execution took
place. Then the message was sent that I
had found asylum
&
out of nothingness I descended into
the lap called Holland
telling me I am a hound
but glorious
&
I sucked myself tightly to her motor that ran
me through her field, more clocklessly than the space
that drove me round, extending from the hand,
neither empty, nor full, nor immense, hers
nor mine, neither more limited to one than
the other, rather more indescribable than she was
irreplaceably described by whichever sign, here and there
along the road, in her sun full of dust, on her horizon
that, a meat knife, cut through her corn until
(1) her grains fermented in her wounds,
(2) her scabs flowered,
(3) her farmer fertilized me,
(4) her plant picked me,
(5) her fruit pulled me,
(6) her air conned me
but
(7) her junk was left to me
© Translation: 2011, Willem Groenewegen
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011
FLIRT
FLIRT
Om 10 uur meldde ik me bij de poortvan het beloofde land. Om 12 uur doofde
het licht. Om 3 uur greep de terechtstelling
plaats. Daarna werd de boodschap verzonden
dat ik asiel vond
&
vanuit het niets daalde ik neer in
de schoot die Holland heet
en me vertelt, ik ben een hondekont
maar heerlijk
&
ik zoog me vast aan haar motor die me bewoog
door haar wei, kloklozer dan de ruimte
die me rondreed, van de wijzer
uit niet ledig, niet vol, niet onmetelijk, de hare
noch de mijne, niet beperkter tot deze dan
gene, wel onbeschrijfelijker dan ze was door om het even
welk teken onvervangbaar beschreven, her en der
langs haar weg, in haar zon vol stof, op haar kim
die, een vleesmes, sneed door haar koren tot
(1) haar korrels broeiden in haar wonden,
(2) haar roven bloeiden,
(3) haar boer me bemestte,
(4) haar plant me plukte,
(5) haar vrucht me afrukte,
(6) haar lucht me fleste
maar
(7) haar shit me restte
© 2009, Jacob Groot
From: Lofzang
Publisher: Uitgeverij De Harmonie, Amsterdam
From: Lofzang
Publisher: Uitgeverij De Harmonie, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Jacob Groot
Close
FLIRT
At 10 o’clock I reported to the gatesof the promised land. At 12 o’clock the light
went out. At 3 o’clock the execution took
place. Then the message was sent that I
had found asylum
&
out of nothingness I descended into
the lap called Holland
telling me I am a hound
but glorious
&
I sucked myself tightly to her motor that ran
me through her field, more clocklessly than the space
that drove me round, extending from the hand,
neither empty, nor full, nor immense, hers
nor mine, neither more limited to one than
the other, rather more indescribable than she was
irreplaceably described by whichever sign, here and there
along the road, in her sun full of dust, on her horizon
that, a meat knife, cut through her corn until
(1) her grains fermented in her wounds,
(2) her scabs flowered,
(3) her farmer fertilized me,
(4) her plant picked me,
(5) her fruit pulled me,
(6) her air conned me
but
(7) her junk was left to me
© 2011, Willem Groenewegen
From: Lofzang
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW, Amsterdam
From: Lofzang
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW, Amsterdam
FLIRT
At 10 o’clock I reported to the gatesof the promised land. At 12 o’clock the light
went out. At 3 o’clock the execution took
place. Then the message was sent that I
had found asylum
&
out of nothingness I descended into
the lap called Holland
telling me I am a hound
but glorious
&
I sucked myself tightly to her motor that ran
me through her field, more clocklessly than the space
that drove me round, extending from the hand,
neither empty, nor full, nor immense, hers
nor mine, neither more limited to one than
the other, rather more indescribable than she was
irreplaceably described by whichever sign, here and there
along the road, in her sun full of dust, on her horizon
that, a meat knife, cut through her corn until
(1) her grains fermented in her wounds,
(2) her scabs flowered,
(3) her farmer fertilized me,
(4) her plant picked me,
(5) her fruit pulled me,
(6) her air conned me
but
(7) her junk was left to me
© 2011, Willem Groenewegen
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère