Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Najwan Darwish

IN HELL

I.
In the 1930s
it occurred to the Nazis
to put their victims in gas chambers
Today’s executioners are more professional:
They put the gas chambers
in their victims

II.
To Hell, 2010
To Hell, you occupiers, you and all your progeny
And may all mankind go to Hell if it looks like you
May the boats and the planes, the banks and the billboards all go to Hell
I scream, “To Hell…”
knowing full well that I
am the only one
who lives there

III.
So let me lie down
and rest my head on the pillows of Hell

In de hel

1
 
In de jaren dertig van de vorige eeuw
Kwamen de nazi’s op de gedachte
Hun slachtoffers naar gaskamers te brengen
De nazi’s van vandaag, beter geschoold
Brengen gaskamers naar hun slachtoffers
 
2
 
Naar de hel met jou, 2010
Naar de hel met jullie, bezetters en nakomelingen
Naar de hel met mensen die op jullie lijken
Naar de hel met schepen, vliegtuigen, banken en aanplakbiljetten
Ik schreeuw “naar de hel . . .”
Ik weet dat ik
De enige ben die daar woont
 
3
 
Laat ik gaan slapen
En mijn hoofd neerleggen op de kussens van de hel

Close

IN HELL

I.
In the 1930s
it occurred to the Nazis
to put their victims in gas chambers
Today’s executioners are more professional:
They put the gas chambers
in their victims

II.
To Hell, 2010
To Hell, you occupiers, you and all your progeny
And may all mankind go to Hell if it looks like you
May the boats and the planes, the banks and the billboards all go to Hell
I scream, “To Hell…”
knowing full well that I
am the only one
who lives there

III.
So let me lie down
and rest my head on the pillows of Hell

IN HELL

I.
In the 1930s
it occurred to the Nazis
to put their victims in gas chambers
Today’s executioners are more professional:
They put the gas chambers
in their victims

II.
To Hell, 2010
To Hell, you occupiers, you and all your progeny
And may all mankind go to Hell if it looks like you
May the boats and the planes, the banks and the billboards all go to Hell
I scream, “To Hell…”
knowing full well that I
am the only one
who lives there

III.
So let me lie down
and rest my head on the pillows of Hell
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