Poem
Ester Naomi Perquin
THERE IS STILL A LOT LEFT
You can leave birds that have been hit by a car, you canpush them aside flapping and all, easily forgotten
a bike that falls over in the rain, used needles in a sandpit,
strategically located banana peel, unposted letters
to the tax department oblige you to nothing
excess change in your hand, a small boy on a tram
who doesn’t know where to get off, you can ignore coolly,
not recognising faces, not acknowledging a smile
it is completely legal to turn your back
on dumbstruck former classmates
anxious to talk to you in a busy shop
and your hand, you can turn that into a weapon,
stick it in your pocket. Sawn-off. Cocked.
© Translation: 2011, David Colmer
ER IS NOG HEEL VEEL OVER
ER IS NOG HEEL VEEL OVER
Aangereden vogels kun je laten liggen, kun je klapwiekend en alterzijde schuiven, gemakkelijk vergeten
fiets die omvalt in de regen, gebruikte naalden in een zandbak,
bananenschil op een strategisch punt, niet-geposte enveloppe
aan de belastingdienst verplicht tot niets
wisselgeld dat je teveel kreeg, een kleine jongen in de tram
die zijn halte niet weet kun je nonchalant verzwijgen,
gezichten niet herkennen, een glimlach negeren,
oude klasgenoten die je heel graag willen spreken
kun je volstrekt legaal en zich verbazend
in een drukke winkel achterlaten
en van je hand, van je hand kun je een wapen maken,
in je broekzak steken. Afgevijld. Doorgeladen.
© 2011, Ester Naomi Perquin
From: Celinspecties
Publisher: Van Oorschot, Amsterdam
From: Celinspecties
Publisher: Van Oorschot, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Ester Naomi Perquin
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THERE IS STILL A LOT LEFT
You can leave birds that have been hit by a car, you canpush them aside flapping and all, easily forgotten
a bike that falls over in the rain, used needles in a sandpit,
strategically located banana peel, unposted letters
to the tax department oblige you to nothing
excess change in your hand, a small boy on a tram
who doesn’t know where to get off, you can ignore coolly,
not recognising faces, not acknowledging a smile
it is completely legal to turn your back
on dumbstruck former classmates
anxious to talk to you in a busy shop
and your hand, you can turn that into a weapon,
stick it in your pocket. Sawn-off. Cocked.
© 2011, David Colmer
From: Celinspecties
From: Celinspecties
THERE IS STILL A LOT LEFT
You can leave birds that have been hit by a car, you canpush them aside flapping and all, easily forgotten
a bike that falls over in the rain, used needles in a sandpit,
strategically located banana peel, unposted letters
to the tax department oblige you to nothing
excess change in your hand, a small boy on a tram
who doesn’t know where to get off, you can ignore coolly,
not recognising faces, not acknowledging a smile
it is completely legal to turn your back
on dumbstruck former classmates
anxious to talk to you in a busy shop
and your hand, you can turn that into a weapon,
stick it in your pocket. Sawn-off. Cocked.
© 2011, David Colmer
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