B. Zwaal

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a guelder rose dreams of the snow

a guelder rose dreams of the snow
of her springtime

a rumouring sun lights up the ship
the anchor bursts through autumn

the past wafts on the wind
smells of medlars
wafts to the river’s mouth

flurried wind sets sail
rows water inland

a stray dike strolls
past the house

the apples
keep the attic

een gelderse roos droomt van de sneeuw

een gelderse roos droomt van de sneeuw
van haar lente

zongeruchten lichten het schip op
het anker scheurt uit de herfst

verleden geurt in de wind
naar de mispelen
geurt de riviermond

wind stuift onder zeil
roeit water het land in

verdwaald slentert de dijk
langs het huis

de appelen
bewaren de zolder

B. Zwaal

(The Netherlands, 1944)

B. Zwaal (Vlaardingen, 1944) is a poet. For many years, however, he was the director of the celebrated Dutch movement theatre group, BEWTH, which made performances with the architecture of conspicuous buildings as departure point. In 1984 Zwaal published his first collection, fiere miniature (proud miniature), which he followed up with nine other collections and a considerable number of bibliop...