Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Inger Elisabeth Hansen

but it’s not at all certain

but it’s not at all certain, for why shouldn’t she hold her memories in a string, why
shouldn’t she secure the memories to a construction fit to fly when she sets them free
in the sky, why shouldn’t she secure the tail to the dragon,
let the memories be the fluttering tail of the dragon, let the dragon be a dragon, and she is the one who
flies this dragon, she must be from China, who can fly her dragon like this, she must, that’s all there’s
to it, she must come from China, must be able to come from China, imagine being able to come from
China just here, imagine China just here, perhaps there is a Chinese girl who must fly
her dragon here, a little Chinese girl.

but it’s not at all certain

men det er slett ikke sikkert, for hvorfor skulle hun ikke holde minnene i en snor, hvorfor
skulle hun ikke feste minnene til en konstruksjon egnet til å fly når hun slipper dem løs
på himmelen, hvorfor skulle hun ikke feste halen på dragen,
la minnene være den blafrende halen på dragen, la dragen være en drage, og hun er den som
flyr denne dragen, hun må være fra Kina, som kan fly dragen sin slik, hun må, hun kan ikke
annet, hun måtte komme fra Kina, måtte kunne komme fra Kina, tenk å kunne komme fra
Kina akkurat her, tenk Kina akkurat her, kanskje det er en kinesisk pike som må fly
dragen sin her, en kineserinne
Close

but it’s not at all certain

but it’s not at all certain, for why shouldn’t she hold her memories in a string, why
shouldn’t she secure the memories to a construction fit to fly when she sets them free
in the sky, why shouldn’t she secure the tail to the dragon,
let the memories be the fluttering tail of the dragon, let the dragon be a dragon, and she is the one who
flies this dragon, she must be from China, who can fly her dragon like this, she must, that’s all there’s
to it, she must come from China, must be able to come from China, imagine being able to come from
China just here, imagine China just here, perhaps there is a Chinese girl who must fly
her dragon here, a little Chinese girl.

but it’s not at all certain

but it’s not at all certain, for why shouldn’t she hold her memories in a string, why
shouldn’t she secure the memories to a construction fit to fly when she sets them free
in the sky, why shouldn’t she secure the tail to the dragon,
let the memories be the fluttering tail of the dragon, let the dragon be a dragon, and she is the one who
flies this dragon, she must be from China, who can fly her dragon like this, she must, that’s all there’s
to it, she must come from China, must be able to come from China, imagine being able to come from
China just here, imagine China just here, perhaps there is a Chinese girl who must fly
her dragon here, a little Chinese girl.
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
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