Poem
Joke van Leeuwen
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Someone rings the bell, says he’s an inspectorwho’s come to see if everything still works
he doesn’t ask permission ’cause he wears
a uniform whose buttons weigh in too.
Under the cushions he finds some misplaced coins
under the table a child in concealment
under the sink a liquid that can kill
behind the window panes the view is still.
He draws conclusions from a diagram
he knows the codes and does it point by point
he has a handsome bag that’s made of leather
gel keeps his hair in shape, his fly is open.
© Translation: 2012, David Colmer
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2012
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2012
BEHEERSING
BEHEERSING
Iemand belt aan en noemt zich controleurdie kijken komt of alles het nog doet
hij vraagt niet of het goed is, want hij draagt
een uniform dat meepraat uit de knopen.
Onder de kussens vindt hij losse munten
onder de tafel een verborgen kind
onder het aanrecht vloeistof die kan doden
achter de ramen staat het uitzicht stil.
Hij trekt conclusies volgens een tabel
hij kent de codes, doet het punt voor punt
hij heeft een fraaie tas van runderleer
gel houdt het haar bijeen, de gulp staat open.
© 2012, Joke van Leeuwen
From: Half in de zee
Publisher: Poetry International/Querido, Rotterdam/Amsterdam
From: Half in de zee
Publisher: Poetry International/Querido, Rotterdam/Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Joke van Leeuwen
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Control
Someone rings the bell, says he’s an inspectorwho’s come to see if everything still works
he doesn’t ask permission ’cause he wears
a uniform whose buttons weigh in too.
Under the cushions he finds some misplaced coins
under the table a child in concealment
under the sink a liquid that can kill
behind the window panes the view is still.
He draws conclusions from a diagram
he knows the codes and does it point by point
he has a handsome bag that’s made of leather
gel keeps his hair in shape, his fly is open.
© 2012, David Colmer
From: Half in de zee
Publisher: 2012, First published on PIW, Rotterdam/Amsterdam
From: Half in de zee
Publisher: 2012, First published on PIW, Rotterdam/Amsterdam
Control
Someone rings the bell, says he’s an inspectorwho’s come to see if everything still works
he doesn’t ask permission ’cause he wears
a uniform whose buttons weigh in too.
Under the cushions he finds some misplaced coins
under the table a child in concealment
under the sink a liquid that can kill
behind the window panes the view is still.
He draws conclusions from a diagram
he knows the codes and does it point by point
he has a handsome bag that’s made of leather
gel keeps his hair in shape, his fly is open.
© 2012, David Colmer
Publisher: 2012, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2012, First published on PIW,
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