Poem
Ester Naomi Perquin
LEGAL ACTIVITIES 1 & 2
1Wake them up at the start of the night
and ask for dreams.
If they say they haven’t had any yet
because you’ve woken them up: slap.
If they start to cry, stroke their hair
until they think of their mothers. Then say
their mothers aren’t coming anymore.
If they rest their heads on their arms,
keep quiet for a long time. When they fall asleep,
wake them up and ask for dreams.
If they tell you their dreams, listen and explain
that such things do not exist. Then go to the order
of the day. Then start again from the beginning.
2
Put them in the exercise yard and make
the sound of a gunshot. Practise until
you can hit a slow pigeon in flight
just over their heads, and have them
bury the pigeon.
Or turn one over onto his back and draw an outline
on the mattress with a marker and make him stand up
to look at himself.
Ask them if the outline reminds them of anyone.
Ask them who.
© Translation: 2011, David Colmer
LEGALE ACTIVITEITEN 1 & 2
LEGALE ACTIVITEITEN 1 & 2
1Wakker maken aan het begin van de nacht
en om dromen vragen.
Als ze zeggen dat ze die nog niet hebben gehad
omdat je ze wakker maakte: een klap.
Als ze beginnen te huilen over hun haren naar beneden
aaien tot ze aan hun moeders denken. Dan zeggen
dat hun moeders niet meer zullen komen.
Als ze hun hoofden op hun armen laten rusten
heel lang zwijgen. Als ze dan in slaap zijn
wakker maken en om dromen vragen.
Als ze hun dromen vertellen luisteren en uitleggen
dat zulke dingen niet bestaan. Dan de orde
van de dag. Dan weer van begin af aan.
2
Op de luchtplaats laten lopen en af en toe het geluid
van een geweerschot maken. Oefenen tot je
vlak boven hun hoofden een trage duif
in zijn vlucht kunt raken en ze
die duif laten begraven.
Of er eentje op zijn rug draaien en met viltstift
omtrekken op het matras en laten opstaan
om naar zichzelf te kijken.
Vragen of ze de omtrek niet op iemand
vinden lijken. Vragen wie dat was.
© 2011, Ester Naomi Perquin
From: Celinspecties
Publisher: Van Oorschot, Amsterdam
From: Celinspecties
Publisher: Van Oorschot, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Ester Naomi Perquin
Close
LEGAL ACTIVITIES 1 & 2
1Wake them up at the start of the night
and ask for dreams.
If they say they haven’t had any yet
because you’ve woken them up: slap.
If they start to cry, stroke their hair
until they think of their mothers. Then say
their mothers aren’t coming anymore.
If they rest their heads on their arms,
keep quiet for a long time. When they fall asleep,
wake them up and ask for dreams.
If they tell you their dreams, listen and explain
that such things do not exist. Then go to the order
of the day. Then start again from the beginning.
2
Put them in the exercise yard and make
the sound of a gunshot. Practise until
you can hit a slow pigeon in flight
just over their heads, and have them
bury the pigeon.
Or turn one over onto his back and draw an outline
on the mattress with a marker and make him stand up
to look at himself.
Ask them if the outline reminds them of anyone.
Ask them who.
© 2011, David Colmer
From: Celinspecties
From: Celinspecties
LEGAL ACTIVITIES 1 & 2
1Wake them up at the start of the night
and ask for dreams.
If they say they haven’t had any yet
because you’ve woken them up: slap.
If they start to cry, stroke their hair
until they think of their mothers. Then say
their mothers aren’t coming anymore.
If they rest their heads on their arms,
keep quiet for a long time. When they fall asleep,
wake them up and ask for dreams.
If they tell you their dreams, listen and explain
that such things do not exist. Then go to the order
of the day. Then start again from the beginning.
2
Put them in the exercise yard and make
the sound of a gunshot. Practise until
you can hit a slow pigeon in flight
just over their heads, and have them
bury the pigeon.
Or turn one over onto his back and draw an outline
on the mattress with a marker and make him stand up
to look at himself.
Ask them if the outline reminds them of anyone.
Ask them who.
© 2011, David Colmer
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère