Poem
Barbara Köhler
SIRENS
let’s say I’m “I am” a sign
that sings springs / heaven
& hell / asunder a word bro
ken a part the part that is
mine is silenced & I alike
him am likened to him a like
ness he sees he knows not
himself in the other the sign
he subjects to signification
it seems to mean to answer
the question posed disposed
fixing what fascinates seizes
his fancy the inconceivable
he sees & seeing it hears ring
ing singing a duality duetting
a twittering twain betwixt bird
& woman he sees himself
seen sung speculated an in
distinct double once in a
bird’s eye in the other eye’s
the other I the likeness in
difference interference heard
with the naked ear chords in
accord plangent a peal all
pervading can any one tell it
apart what comes out of his
hands he’s bound he’s given
himself submits to the deaf
ears of them who are like him
the cords cut his flesh it hurts
him I see I know what pain
there is to bear a cross called
“I” & more than one I am
selfother (“Sirens” he calls it)
I AM INDIFFERENT TO MY
SELF & she the stranger is my
double a part of me is in her
keeping if I’m in her keeping I
can let my self go & keep it &
the distance I’d rather keep
than flying into this security:
a hero in bonds a bondsman
to words of his own making
they expropriate the body tie
gesture to deception the end
in view requires plugged ears
not trusting the eyes obeying
his word trust what more can
he want to be & hear than
those who are like him dis
tinguished from them One not
among others he’s the Master
of speech holds sway with his
say & silences the voices that
sing that ring the voices that
spring from answer to answer
for ever in motion he defines
& divides the I that names that
cleaves me: Charybdis. Skylla.
that sings springs / heaven
& hell / asunder a word bro
ken a part the part that is
mine is silenced & I alike
him am likened to him a like
ness he sees he knows not
himself in the other the sign
he subjects to signification
it seems to mean to answer
the question posed disposed
fixing what fascinates seizes
his fancy the inconceivable
he sees & seeing it hears ring
ing singing a duality duetting
a twittering twain betwixt bird
& woman he sees himself
seen sung speculated an in
distinct double once in a
bird’s eye in the other eye’s
the other I the likeness in
difference interference heard
with the naked ear chords in
accord plangent a peal all
pervading can any one tell it
apart what comes out of his
hands he’s bound he’s given
himself submits to the deaf
ears of them who are like him
the cords cut his flesh it hurts
him I see I know what pain
there is to bear a cross called
“I” & more than one I am
selfother (“Sirens” he calls it)
I AM INDIFFERENT TO MY
SELF & she the stranger is my
double a part of me is in her
keeping if I’m in her keeping I
can let my self go & keep it &
the distance I’d rather keep
than flying into this security:
a hero in bonds a bondsman
to words of his own making
they expropriate the body tie
gesture to deception the end
in view requires plugged ears
not trusting the eyes obeying
his word trust what more can
he want to be & hear than
those who are like him dis
tinguished from them One not
among others he’s the Master
of speech holds sway with his
say & silences the voices that
sing that ring the voices that
spring from answer to answer
for ever in motion he defines
& divides the I that names that
cleaves me: Charybdis. Skylla.
© Translation: 2001, Georgina Paul
SIRENEN
Was ik ‘Ik ben’: een teken datklinkt springt /hemel & hel in
tweeën gebroken woord deel van
mij verzwegen ben ik lijk erop
de vergelekene: & herkent niet
het andere het verdingde teken
als zichzelf dat betekent toch
zal te duiden schijnt antwoord
voor hem wat ter discussie wat
hij probeert voor te stellen &
fixeert t onbegrepene nu boeit
hem voor ogen hoort hij klinkt
het zingt tweestemmig tjilpt t
het getjilp van vrouw & vogels
ziet-ie zich gezien gezongen &
gespiegeld onduidelijks dubbel
in de halve vogelblik in ander
mans oog de andere dezelfde in
differentie interferentie hoor
met het blote oor bij t gezang
klank echo & doordringen o wie
wil uit elkaar houden wat zijn
handen verlaat gebonden gepoot
onder gezag zich die dove oren
van zijnsgelijken de touwen in
het eigen vlees snijden doet m
pijn ik zie wat pijnen zijn te
verbijten is embarass du choix
met namen ‘Ik’ & meer dan eens
ben ik getweeën DE (Sirenen is
de naam) IK BEN AAN MIJ GELIJK
de vreemdelinge is mijn double
mijn deel ze houdt het dus met
me uit ik ze weet mij te laten
wat houdt is afstand & ik houd
hem liever dan ik vloog op dit
presentje: held in touwen vast
verstrikt in eigen woorden die
t lichaam onteigenen vastmaken
aan t bedrog is opzet verlangt
verstopte oren die de ogen wan
trouwen gehoorzamen hem op z’n
woord vertrouwen wat nader wil
hij horen & zien als gelijkend
vergeleken onderscheiden & als
EEN onder anderen heer van het
spreken heeft hij spreken over
reed & t zingen verzwegen klin
ken springende stemmen die ant
woorden niet laten staan & hij
definieert divideert Ik noem &
verdeel me: Charybdis. Skylla.
SIRENEN
Ich sei „Ich bin“: ein Zeichen
das klingt springt /Himmel und
Hölle/ entzwei gebrochnes Wort
mein Teil verschwiegen bin ich
Gleiche ihm die Verglichene er
kennt sich nicht im andern das
verdingte Zeichen das bedeutet
wird das zu deuten scheint ihm
Antwort was in Frage steht was
er zu stellen sucht fixiert es
fesselt ihn das Unbegreifliche
vor Augen hört er es klingt es
singt Zweistimmiges zwitschert
es Gezwitter von Frau & Vögeln
sieht er sich gesehen gesungen
gespiegelt undeutliches Doppel
im halben Vogelblick im andern
Auge die Andere die Gleiche In
differenz Interferenzen gehört
mit bloßem Ohr ein Singsang An
klang Echo & Durchdringung wer
will das auseinanderhalten was
kommt aus seinen Händen den ge
bundenen hat er sich in Gewalt
gegeben den tauben Ohren seines
gleichen die Stricke schneiden
das eigene Fleisch es schmerzt
ihn seh ich weiß was Schmerzen
sind auszuhalten ist eine Wahl
der Qual mit Namen „Ich“& mehr
als eins bin ich selbander DIE
(„Sirenen“ nennt er es)ICH BIN
MIR GLEICH die Fremde ist mein
Double mein Teil sie hält mich
aus halt ich sie weiß ich mich
zu lassen was hält ist Abstand
& ich halte ihn lieber als daß
ich flöge auf dieses Angebinde
: Held in Seilen verstrickt in
eignen Worten die den Leib ent
eignen die Geste binden an die
Täuschung ist Absicht verlangt
verstopfte Ohren die den Augen
nicht traun gehorchen ihm aufs
Wort Vertraun was will er mehr
hören & sein als Seinesgleichen
verglichen unterschieden & als
Einer nicht unter anderem Herr
der Rede hat er das Sagen über
redet & verschweigt das Singen
Klingen springende Stimmen die
keine Antwort stehen lassen de
finiert er dividiert Ich nenne
trenne mich: Charybdis. Skylla.
das klingt springt /Himmel und
Hölle/ entzwei gebrochnes Wort
mein Teil verschwiegen bin ich
Gleiche ihm die Verglichene er
kennt sich nicht im andern das
verdingte Zeichen das bedeutet
wird das zu deuten scheint ihm
Antwort was in Frage steht was
er zu stellen sucht fixiert es
fesselt ihn das Unbegreifliche
vor Augen hört er es klingt es
singt Zweistimmiges zwitschert
es Gezwitter von Frau & Vögeln
sieht er sich gesehen gesungen
gespiegelt undeutliches Doppel
im halben Vogelblick im andern
Auge die Andere die Gleiche In
differenz Interferenzen gehört
mit bloßem Ohr ein Singsang An
klang Echo & Durchdringung wer
will das auseinanderhalten was
kommt aus seinen Händen den ge
bundenen hat er sich in Gewalt
gegeben den tauben Ohren seines
gleichen die Stricke schneiden
das eigene Fleisch es schmerzt
ihn seh ich weiß was Schmerzen
sind auszuhalten ist eine Wahl
der Qual mit Namen „Ich“& mehr
als eins bin ich selbander DIE
(„Sirenen“ nennt er es)ICH BIN
MIR GLEICH die Fremde ist mein
Double mein Teil sie hält mich
aus halt ich sie weiß ich mich
zu lassen was hält ist Abstand
& ich halte ihn lieber als daß
ich flöge auf dieses Angebinde
: Held in Seilen verstrickt in
eignen Worten die den Leib ent
eignen die Geste binden an die
Täuschung ist Absicht verlangt
verstopfte Ohren die den Augen
nicht traun gehorchen ihm aufs
Wort Vertraun was will er mehr
hören & sein als Seinesgleichen
verglichen unterschieden & als
Einer nicht unter anderem Herr
der Rede hat er das Sagen über
redet & verschweigt das Singen
Klingen springende Stimmen die
keine Antwort stehen lassen de
finiert er dividiert Ich nenne
trenne mich: Charybdis. Skylla.
© 2007, Suhrkamp Verlag
From: Niemands Frau. Gesänge
Publisher: Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main
All rights reserved by and controlled through Suhrkamp Verlag Berlin
From: Niemands Frau. Gesänge
Publisher: Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main
Poems
Poems of Barbara Köhler
Close
SIRENS
let’s say I’m “I am” a sign
that sings springs / heaven
& hell / asunder a word bro
ken a part the part that is
mine is silenced & I alike
him am likened to him a like
ness he sees he knows not
himself in the other the sign
he subjects to signification
it seems to mean to answer
the question posed disposed
fixing what fascinates seizes
his fancy the inconceivable
he sees & seeing it hears ring
ing singing a duality duetting
a twittering twain betwixt bird
& woman he sees himself
seen sung speculated an in
distinct double once in a
bird’s eye in the other eye’s
the other I the likeness in
difference interference heard
with the naked ear chords in
accord plangent a peal all
pervading can any one tell it
apart what comes out of his
hands he’s bound he’s given
himself submits to the deaf
ears of them who are like him
the cords cut his flesh it hurts
him I see I know what pain
there is to bear a cross called
“I” & more than one I am
selfother (“Sirens” he calls it)
I AM INDIFFERENT TO MY
SELF & she the stranger is my
double a part of me is in her
keeping if I’m in her keeping I
can let my self go & keep it &
the distance I’d rather keep
than flying into this security:
a hero in bonds a bondsman
to words of his own making
they expropriate the body tie
gesture to deception the end
in view requires plugged ears
not trusting the eyes obeying
his word trust what more can
he want to be & hear than
those who are like him dis
tinguished from them One not
among others he’s the Master
of speech holds sway with his
say & silences the voices that
sing that ring the voices that
spring from answer to answer
for ever in motion he defines
& divides the I that names that
cleaves me: Charybdis. Skylla.
that sings springs / heaven
& hell / asunder a word bro
ken a part the part that is
mine is silenced & I alike
him am likened to him a like
ness he sees he knows not
himself in the other the sign
he subjects to signification
it seems to mean to answer
the question posed disposed
fixing what fascinates seizes
his fancy the inconceivable
he sees & seeing it hears ring
ing singing a duality duetting
a twittering twain betwixt bird
& woman he sees himself
seen sung speculated an in
distinct double once in a
bird’s eye in the other eye’s
the other I the likeness in
difference interference heard
with the naked ear chords in
accord plangent a peal all
pervading can any one tell it
apart what comes out of his
hands he’s bound he’s given
himself submits to the deaf
ears of them who are like him
the cords cut his flesh it hurts
him I see I know what pain
there is to bear a cross called
“I” & more than one I am
selfother (“Sirens” he calls it)
I AM INDIFFERENT TO MY
SELF & she the stranger is my
double a part of me is in her
keeping if I’m in her keeping I
can let my self go & keep it &
the distance I’d rather keep
than flying into this security:
a hero in bonds a bondsman
to words of his own making
they expropriate the body tie
gesture to deception the end
in view requires plugged ears
not trusting the eyes obeying
his word trust what more can
he want to be & hear than
those who are like him dis
tinguished from them One not
among others he’s the Master
of speech holds sway with his
say & silences the voices that
sing that ring the voices that
spring from answer to answer
for ever in motion he defines
& divides the I that names that
cleaves me: Charybdis. Skylla.
© 2001, Georgina Paul
From: Niemands Frau. Gesänge
All rights reserved by and controlled through Suhrkamp Verlag Berlin
From: Niemands Frau. Gesänge
SIRENS
let’s say I’m “I am” a sign
that sings springs / heaven
& hell / asunder a word bro
ken a part the part that is
mine is silenced & I alike
him am likened to him a like
ness he sees he knows not
himself in the other the sign
he subjects to signification
it seems to mean to answer
the question posed disposed
fixing what fascinates seizes
his fancy the inconceivable
he sees & seeing it hears ring
ing singing a duality duetting
a twittering twain betwixt bird
& woman he sees himself
seen sung speculated an in
distinct double once in a
bird’s eye in the other eye’s
the other I the likeness in
difference interference heard
with the naked ear chords in
accord plangent a peal all
pervading can any one tell it
apart what comes out of his
hands he’s bound he’s given
himself submits to the deaf
ears of them who are like him
the cords cut his flesh it hurts
him I see I know what pain
there is to bear a cross called
“I” & more than one I am
selfother (“Sirens” he calls it)
I AM INDIFFERENT TO MY
SELF & she the stranger is my
double a part of me is in her
keeping if I’m in her keeping I
can let my self go & keep it &
the distance I’d rather keep
than flying into this security:
a hero in bonds a bondsman
to words of his own making
they expropriate the body tie
gesture to deception the end
in view requires plugged ears
not trusting the eyes obeying
his word trust what more can
he want to be & hear than
those who are like him dis
tinguished from them One not
among others he’s the Master
of speech holds sway with his
say & silences the voices that
sing that ring the voices that
spring from answer to answer
for ever in motion he defines
& divides the I that names that
cleaves me: Charybdis. Skylla.
that sings springs / heaven
& hell / asunder a word bro
ken a part the part that is
mine is silenced & I alike
him am likened to him a like
ness he sees he knows not
himself in the other the sign
he subjects to signification
it seems to mean to answer
the question posed disposed
fixing what fascinates seizes
his fancy the inconceivable
he sees & seeing it hears ring
ing singing a duality duetting
a twittering twain betwixt bird
& woman he sees himself
seen sung speculated an in
distinct double once in a
bird’s eye in the other eye’s
the other I the likeness in
difference interference heard
with the naked ear chords in
accord plangent a peal all
pervading can any one tell it
apart what comes out of his
hands he’s bound he’s given
himself submits to the deaf
ears of them who are like him
the cords cut his flesh it hurts
him I see I know what pain
there is to bear a cross called
“I” & more than one I am
selfother (“Sirens” he calls it)
I AM INDIFFERENT TO MY
SELF & she the stranger is my
double a part of me is in her
keeping if I’m in her keeping I
can let my self go & keep it &
the distance I’d rather keep
than flying into this security:
a hero in bonds a bondsman
to words of his own making
they expropriate the body tie
gesture to deception the end
in view requires plugged ears
not trusting the eyes obeying
his word trust what more can
he want to be & hear than
those who are like him dis
tinguished from them One not
among others he’s the Master
of speech holds sway with his
say & silences the voices that
sing that ring the voices that
spring from answer to answer
for ever in motion he defines
& divides the I that names that
cleaves me: Charybdis. Skylla.
© 2001, Georgina Paul
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