Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jude Stéfan

They go heads bowed

They go heads bowed on their agreement
            they exchange gestures
            press each other\'s feet in secret
            and sleep for each other
from the height of their tears to their forgiveness
                     they enchant each other
each Tuesday with a path of ivy and slowness
                       barely touching
                       then madly mouth to mouth
pressing her lips he tightens her scarf
             black as sex and blood red
   He already awaits her tomorrow in the shadows
   each morning suits their face
   changing from alarm to whispering
   when she enters his hope
                        She wipes his tears
                        or sings to him at night
          then they call each other animal or angel
          before words fail them
                         long eyelids
          they seek each other beyond the body
          in cries and silences of ecstasy He
          stiffens his soul long in her
                         all hair spilled


They go heads bowed

Ils vont tête baissée sur leur entente
            ils échangent leurs gestes
            en secret se pressent les pieds
            et dorment l\'un pour l\'autre
du haut de leurs larmes jusqu\'à leurs pardons
                     ils s\'enchantent
chaque mardi d\'un chemin de lierres et de lenteurs
                       à peine s\'effleurant
                       puis follement s\'abouchent
en pressant ses lèvres il serre son foulard
             noir comme sexe et rouge sang
   Il l\'attend déjà demain dans l\'ombre
   chaque matin sied à leur visage
   changeant d\'alarmes en chuchotis
   quand elle entre dans son espérance
                        Elle essuie ses pleurs
                        ou lui chante dans la nuit
          alors ils se nomment animal ou ange
          avant que leur manquent les mots
                         paupières allongées
          ils se cherchent outre le corps
          en cris et silences d\'extase Il
          raidit longtemps son âme en elle
                         tous cheveux renversés

Close

They go heads bowed

They go heads bowed on their agreement
            they exchange gestures
            press each other\'s feet in secret
            and sleep for each other
from the height of their tears to their forgiveness
                     they enchant each other
each Tuesday with a path of ivy and slowness
                       barely touching
                       then madly mouth to mouth
pressing her lips he tightens her scarf
             black as sex and blood red
   He already awaits her tomorrow in the shadows
   each morning suits their face
   changing from alarm to whispering
   when she enters his hope
                        She wipes his tears
                        or sings to him at night
          then they call each other animal or angel
          before words fail them
                         long eyelids
          they seek each other beyond the body
          in cries and silences of ecstasy He
          stiffens his soul long in her
                         all hair spilled


They go heads bowed

They go heads bowed on their agreement
            they exchange gestures
            press each other\'s feet in secret
            and sleep for each other
from the height of their tears to their forgiveness
                     they enchant each other
each Tuesday with a path of ivy and slowness
                       barely touching
                       then madly mouth to mouth
pressing her lips he tightens her scarf
             black as sex and blood red
   He already awaits her tomorrow in the shadows
   each morning suits their face
   changing from alarm to whispering
   when she enters his hope
                        She wipes his tears
                        or sings to him at night
          then they call each other animal or angel
          before words fail them
                         long eyelids
          they seek each other beyond the body
          in cries and silences of ecstasy He
          stiffens his soul long in her
                         all hair spilled


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