Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Michèle Métail

Maze – you are here (9)

as soon as surviving the open sky
of day, night opposing light
though precarious, the effect touches on
a circular look around, noting
the accidental element, concrete, scenery
nothing stops, place without memories
the surroundings occupied by vicinity
defining again by the circle
the everydayness of things, little
brightness outside of colored inventory
painted to restore, facades
matt white, warm gray, lilacs
fully highlights friezes
pigments of crossed streets, corner
where intersect, slopes of another
the neighborhood to stay, live
in the confined addiction outside
daily life and comes back in its tracks
way taken again here paced
roads measured by walking
machine-like and routine, coded
fold edge of transitory borders
when the cog repeats, gyration
of compressed circle in vicinity
this circuit familiar with cadence
of steps, how the added speed
deducts from pulsations, take
a shortcut to reduce the place
in the monotonous hold over
of streets foreseeable across

Dédale – vous êtes ici (9)

Dédale – vous êtes ici (9)

sitôt que rescapé au ciel ouvert
du jour, la nuit oppose la lumière
quoique précaire, l’effet touche
un regard circulaire, repérable
l’élément fortuit, béton, paysage
rien n’arrête, lieu sans souvenir
l’entour qu’occupent les parages
délimitant encore par le cercle
l’habituel des choses, peu d’éclat
sinon l’inventaire aux couleurs
peintes pour restaurer, façades
blanc couvrant, gris chaud, lilas
rehauts pleinement des reliefs
pigments des rues croisées, coin
où se coupent, versants d’un autre
le quartier d’y demeurer, habiter
l’accoutumance confinée dehors
quotidien et revient sur ses pas
trajet refait ici des chaussées
arpentées à la mesure de marcher
machinale et routine, le pli codé
bord des bordures transitoires
quand le rouage répète, giration
du cercle comprimé au voisinage
ce circuit familier à la cadence
des pas, combien l’allure comptée
décompte des pulsations, passer
un raccourci de réduire le lieu
dans l’emprise monotone des rues
transversalement prévisibles
Close

Maze – you are here (9)

as soon as surviving the open sky
of day, night opposing light
though precarious, the effect touches on
a circular look around, noting
the accidental element, concrete, scenery
nothing stops, place without memories
the surroundings occupied by vicinity
defining again by the circle
the everydayness of things, little
brightness outside of colored inventory
painted to restore, facades
matt white, warm gray, lilacs
fully highlights friezes
pigments of crossed streets, corner
where intersect, slopes of another
the neighborhood to stay, live
in the confined addiction outside
daily life and comes back in its tracks
way taken again here paced
roads measured by walking
machine-like and routine, coded
fold edge of transitory borders
when the cog repeats, gyration
of compressed circle in vicinity
this circuit familiar with cadence
of steps, how the added speed
deducts from pulsations, take
a shortcut to reduce the place
in the monotonous hold over
of streets foreseeable across

Maze – you are here (9)

as soon as surviving the open sky
of day, night opposing light
though precarious, the effect touches on
a circular look around, noting
the accidental element, concrete, scenery
nothing stops, place without memories
the surroundings occupied by vicinity
defining again by the circle
the everydayness of things, little
brightness outside of colored inventory
painted to restore, facades
matt white, warm gray, lilacs
fully highlights friezes
pigments of crossed streets, corner
where intersect, slopes of another
the neighborhood to stay, live
in the confined addiction outside
daily life and comes back in its tracks
way taken again here paced
roads measured by walking
machine-like and routine, coded
fold edge of transitory borders
when the cog repeats, gyration
of compressed circle in vicinity
this circuit familiar with cadence
of steps, how the added speed
deducts from pulsations, take
a shortcut to reduce the place
in the monotonous hold over
of streets foreseeable across
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