Poem

Roland Jooris

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Original language

SELF PORTRAIT

What resides in him
unharmed –
it isn’t purity

it isn’t a child
still writing
in stumpy letters

it is a glance
that is
raw and merciless

it is what conflictingly
disjoints
and compels him

it is unruliness

© Translation: 2013, Astrid Alben

ZELFPORTRET

ZELFPORTRET

Wat ongeschonden
in hem huist
het is geen zuiverheid

het is geen kind
dat met nog stompe letters
schrijft

het is een blik
die rauw en ongenadig
kijkt

het is wat tegenstrijdig
hem ontwricht
en dwingt

het is weerbarstigheid

© 2001, Roland Jooris
From: Gekras
Publisher: Querido, Amsterdam

Roland Jooris

Roland Jooris

(Belgium, 1936)

Roland Jooris was the director of the Roger Raveelmuseum in Machelen-aan-de-Leie until 2005. Roger Raveel himself was a painter and sculptor, a profession that Jooris has followed with keen interest and empathy throughout his career. In his poetic work too Jooris has often turned to the world of the arts for inspiration. One of his earliest poems was about Paul Klee. He has also written poems a...

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Poems of Roland Jooris

UPSTAIRS

NOCTURNE

VILLAGE

NOTION

‘Form or notion‘

DENSITY

LOST

RAW

Writing

KITCHEN

Close

SELF PORTRAIT

What resides in him
unharmed –
it isn’t purity

it isn’t a child
still writing
in stumpy letters

it is a glance
that is
raw and merciless

it is what conflictingly
disjoints
and compels him

it is unruliness

© 2013, Astrid Alben
From: Gekras

SELF PORTRAIT

What resides in him
unharmed –
it isn’t purity

it isn’t a child
still writing
in stumpy letters

it is a glance
that is
raw and merciless

it is what conflictingly
disjoints
and compels him

it is unruliness

© 2013, Astrid Alben

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