Poem
K. Schippers
E55
Split scenes without hidden meanings . . .now we’re here, why not check your jacket,
straighten it a little more
or shift a shoe, I’ll wait a minute . . .
you haven’t changed that much . . .
so many flags . . . you could smooth down the dress
a little better over your knees . . . that’s right,
go ahead. . .
all those passers-by, I have seen
thousands of them . . . I will be there,
so will you, I think, some people
should be passing each other,
an appointment won’t be
necessary . . . just leave the rest
to the gentleman of chance,
a duke whose face you’ll never
see, who in a squinting tongue
became adept at us,
a pianist with a plaster round
her little finger, ticket sales, paper,
hands water heel gate passage, milk
in a carton, did you think about that
for the first time then and there,
E55 energy . . . was it absorbed into
your thoughts, did my call wake you,
shall I turn the light off?
I went there do not remember
anything about it like you’re here now
not yet aware of what you may or
may not recall about this evening.
You were there you’ll say. That’s right,
but on that day in 1955 my memories
did not come well prepared.
Something just happened, walking and
watching, nothing more and why would you
remember that?
© Translation: 2012, K. Schippers
E55
E55
Losse scènes zonder bijbedoelingen . . .
anders kijkt u in deze zaal eerst
naar uw jasje, schik het iets beter
of verplaats een schoen, ik wacht
wel even . . . u bent weinig veranderd . . .
wat een vlaggen . . . de jurk op uw knie
kan iets beter liggen . . . doe het nou
maar . . .
al die voorbijgangers, duizenden
heb ik er gezien . . . ik zal er
zijn, u ook, denk ik, een paar mensen
moeten elkaar toch voorbijlopen,
geen afspraak hoef je er voor te
maken . . . en laat het verder over
aan de edelman van het toeval,
een hertog van wie je het gezicht
nooit ziet, die zich met een loense
tongval in ons heeft bekwaamd,
een pianiste met een pleister om
haar pink, kaartverkoop, papier,
handen water hak hek gang, melk
in een kartonnen pak, dacht je
daar toen voor het eerst aan,
E55 energie . . . gaat het op in je
gedachten, bel ik je wakker, zal
ik het licht uitdoen?
Ik ben er geweest herinner me er
niets meer van zoals u nu hier bent
en nog niet weet wat u zich al dan
niet van deze avond zal herinneren.
Je was er toch zult u zeggen. Ja
maar op die dag in 1955 kon ik m’n
herinnering niet goed voorbereiden.
Er gebeurde zomaar wat, lopen en
kijken, meer niet en waarom zou
je dat onthouden?
© 2012, K. Schippers
Poems
Poems of K. Schippers
Close
E55
Split scenes without hidden meanings . . .now we’re here, why not check your jacket,
straighten it a little more
or shift a shoe, I’ll wait a minute . . .
you haven’t changed that much . . .
so many flags . . . you could smooth down the dress
a little better over your knees . . . that’s right,
go ahead. . .
all those passers-by, I have seen
thousands of them . . . I will be there,
so will you, I think, some people
should be passing each other,
an appointment won’t be
necessary . . . just leave the rest
to the gentleman of chance,
a duke whose face you’ll never
see, who in a squinting tongue
became adept at us,
a pianist with a plaster round
her little finger, ticket sales, paper,
hands water heel gate passage, milk
in a carton, did you think about that
for the first time then and there,
E55 energy . . . was it absorbed into
your thoughts, did my call wake you,
shall I turn the light off?
I went there do not remember
anything about it like you’re here now
not yet aware of what you may or
may not recall about this evening.
You were there you’ll say. That’s right,
but on that day in 1955 my memories
did not come well prepared.
Something just happened, walking and
watching, nothing more and why would you
remember that?
© 2012, K. Schippers
E55
Split scenes without hidden meanings . . .now we’re here, why not check your jacket,
straighten it a little more
or shift a shoe, I’ll wait a minute . . .
you haven’t changed that much . . .
so many flags . . . you could smooth down the dress
a little better over your knees . . . that’s right,
go ahead. . .
all those passers-by, I have seen
thousands of them . . . I will be there,
so will you, I think, some people
should be passing each other,
an appointment won’t be
necessary . . . just leave the rest
to the gentleman of chance,
a duke whose face you’ll never
see, who in a squinting tongue
became adept at us,
a pianist with a plaster round
her little finger, ticket sales, paper,
hands water heel gate passage, milk
in a carton, did you think about that
for the first time then and there,
E55 energy . . . was it absorbed into
your thoughts, did my call wake you,
shall I turn the light off?
I went there do not remember
anything about it like you’re here now
not yet aware of what you may or
may not recall about this evening.
You were there you’ll say. That’s right,
but on that day in 1955 my memories
did not come well prepared.
Something just happened, walking and
watching, nothing more and why would you
remember that?
© 2012, K. Schippers
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