Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gro Dahle

LET’S SAY YOU STUFF YOUR MOTHER INTO A SUITCASE WHAT DO YOU GET THEN?

Hand luggage
you have to struggle with up the stairs
into the streets
across the squares
through the cities

Perhaps you want to leave your suitcase
forget it at the airport
store it in a locker
As if you really would do it
As if it would be enough
Take a bus or run
Change name
Change address
As if that would help
Your mother is there
Your mother sees you
You thought you left her behind
with the suitcase
but she is still there
half hidden
between your eyebrows

STEL DAT JE JE MOEDER IN EEN KOFFER STOPT WAT KRIJG JE DAN?

Handbagage
die je met je mee de trappen op zeult
de straten door
de pleinen over
dwars door de steden

Misschien wil je je koffer laten staan
wil je hem vergeten op het vliegveld
wegsluiten in een bagagekluis
Alsof je dat werkelijk zou doen
Alsof dat genoeg zou zijn
De bus nemen of weglopen
Van naam veranderen
Adres wijzigen
Alsof dat zou helpen
Je moeder is er
Je moeder ziet je
Je dacht dat je haar
achterliet
met de koffer
maar ze is nog steeds bij je
half verscholen
tussen je wenkbrauwen

SI AT DU STAPPER MOREN DIN OPP I EN KOFFERT HVA FÅR DU DA?

En håndbagasje
du må slite med opp trappene
inn gatene
over plassene
gjennom byene

Kanskje du vil sette kofferten din igjen
glemme den på flyplassen
låse den vekk i oppbevaringen
Som om du virkelig skulle gjøre det
Som om det ville være nok
Ta en buss eller løpe
Bytte navn
Skifte adresse
Som om det ville hjelpe
Moren din er der
Moren din ser deg
Du trodde du la henne igjen
med kofferten
men hun er fortsatt med
halvt skjult
mellom øyenbrynene dine
Close

LET’S SAY YOU STUFF YOUR MOTHER INTO A SUITCASE WHAT DO YOU GET THEN?

Hand luggage
you have to struggle with up the stairs
into the streets
across the squares
through the cities

Perhaps you want to leave your suitcase
forget it at the airport
store it in a locker
As if you really would do it
As if it would be enough
Take a bus or run
Change name
Change address
As if that would help
Your mother is there
Your mother sees you
You thought you left her behind
with the suitcase
but she is still there
half hidden
between your eyebrows

LET’S SAY YOU STUFF YOUR MOTHER INTO A SUITCASE WHAT DO YOU GET THEN?

Hand luggage
you have to struggle with up the stairs
into the streets
across the squares
through the cities

Perhaps you want to leave your suitcase
forget it at the airport
store it in a locker
As if you really would do it
As if it would be enough
Take a bus or run
Change name
Change address
As if that would help
Your mother is there
Your mother sees you
You thought you left her behind
with the suitcase
but she is still there
half hidden
between your eyebrows
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