Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Joke van Leeuwen

Snorkelling

Half in the sea, half in the air, borne up
a chimney on and looking down
the inquisitive fingers of waterplants

Bum in the air, back to the clouds
flippered feet, aquatic equivalents
but heavenly bodies overhead

to motionless fish, busy being there
smooth around the bones, eyes always open
and no idea about the withering drought.

SNORKELEN

SNORKELEN

Half in de zee, half in de lucht, gedragen
een schoorsteen op en naar beneden kijken
vragende vingers van de waterplanten

Kont in de lucht, rug naar de wolken
voeten met vinnen, hun gelijke lijken
maar hemellichaam blijken in den hoge

voor stille vissen, bezig er te zijn
glad rond de graten, ogen altijd open
en geen benul van het immense droge.
Close

Snorkelling

Half in the sea, half in the air, borne up
a chimney on and looking down
the inquisitive fingers of waterplants

Bum in the air, back to the clouds
flippered feet, aquatic equivalents
but heavenly bodies overhead

to motionless fish, busy being there
smooth around the bones, eyes always open
and no idea about the withering drought.

Snorkelling

Half in the sea, half in the air, borne up
a chimney on and looking down
the inquisitive fingers of waterplants

Bum in the air, back to the clouds
flippered feet, aquatic equivalents
but heavenly bodies overhead

to motionless fish, busy being there
smooth around the bones, eyes always open
and no idea about the withering drought.
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