Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Daniel Bănulescu

YOU’LL SHRIVEL UP, YOU’LL BE AN EXOTIC FRUIT

There’s no need to forget you
Because as soon as I fall asleep you’ll no longer exist for me
 
You don’t have to move or sigh
Or whimper in every last wisp of your cells
Because as soon as I fall asleep
You’ll no longer exist for me
 
Turn over a new self to your fetching tail to your tomatoes
Be proud satisfied with your friends distinguished in society
Act as if from tomorrow on
It would take an earthquake to get you to lift your skirt
And only spaded earth would give back part of what you’ve lost
 
Be reasonable
You’ve such beautiful hands that haven’t yet wised up
And never will
Lips the bulldozer driver won’t never know thoughts the carpenter won’t
                                                                      ever hear
Breasts the gravedigger won’t ever lay eyes on
 
Who’ll prepare you and wash you
Who’ll place the small coin in your mouth
Who’ll slip you in my pocket
Where’s your soul
Where’s your sweat
The Scala patisserie window steamed over
I’ll send a madman to wind you up with just one finger
Until you’ll no longer bore any window
 
You bored me
You’re just a tuft of dwarf vegetation my imagination plucked a grille
Through which my gaffes ogle you as if you were a giraffe
You’re graced with dresses spice cake and flesh
But as soon as I fall asleep you’ll no longer exist for me
 
You’re no more than a gesture someone once made to me
Someone who drank all of life with me
You’re the thought of my socks stuffed with my feet
Like an out-of-work man’s breast crammed full of work songs

JE ZULT VERSCHROMPELEN JE ZULT EEN EXOTISCHE VRUCHT ZIJN

Ik hoef je niet te vergeten
Want zodra ik inslaap besta je voor mij niet meer
 
Je hoeft niet te bewegen of te steunen
Of te grienen met de hele zooi van je cellen
Want zodra ik in slaap val
Besta je voor mij helemaal niet meer
 
Keer terug naar je goede file bij de tomaten
Wees waardig opgewekt onder vrienden gedistingeerd in groot gezelschap
Gedraag je alsof
Je niet weet dat vanaf morgen alleen de aardbeving nog je rokken zal optillen
En dat enkel een schop aarde je deels zal teruggeven wat je bent verloren
 
Wees verstandig
Je hebt zulke mooie handen dat ze niet eens zijn begonnen
En ook nooit zullen beginnen
Je hebt lippen die de bulldozermachinist nooit zal kennen gedachten waar de timmerman nooit opgekomen is
En borsten waar de doodgraver nooit weet van zal hebben
 
Wie zal je verschonen en wassen
Wie zal het muntstuk in je mond duwen
Wie zal je in mijn zakken stoppen
Waar is je ziel
Waar is je zweet
Het raam van de Scala-winkel is beslagen
En ik zal een gek sturen om je met zijn vinger om te keren
Tot je geen enkel raam meer lastigvalt
 
Mij heb je lastig gevallen
Je bent niet meer dan een dwergplant van mijn verbeelding een traliehek
Waarachter mijn flaters naar je gapen als naar een giraf
Je hebt je opgesmukt met jurk gebak en vlees
Maar zodra ik in slaap val besta je voor mij niet meer
 
Je bent niet meer dan een teken gegeven door iemand
Die een leven lang met me heeft gezopen
Je bent niet meer dan een gedachte van mijn sokken die vol zitten met mijn voeten
Zoals de borst van een werkloze met proletarische liederen

TE VEI STAFIDI, VEI FI UN FRUCT EXOTIC

Nu e nevoie să te uit
Pentru că imediat ce adorm tu nu mai exişti pentru mine
 
Nu e nevoie să te mişti sau să gemi
Sau să bâzâi din tot şomoiogul celulelor tale
Pentru că imediat ce încep să adorm
Tu nici nu mai exişti pentru mine
 
Întoarce-te la buna ta coadă la roşii
Fii demnă bucuroasă cu prietenii distinsă în societate
Comportă-te ca şi cum
Nu ai şti că de mâine doar cutremurul îţi va mai ridica fusta
Şi numai pământul aruncat cu lopata îţi va întoarce o parte   din ce-ai pierdut
 
Fii rezonabilă
Ai mâini atât de frumoase încât nici n-au început
Şi nici n-au să înceapă vreodată
Ai buze de care n-o să ştie buldozeristul gânduri de care nu auzise dulgherul
Şi sâni de care nu va afla nici groparul
 
Cine te va primeni şi spăla
Cine îţi va împinge bănuţul în gură
Cine te va strecura în buzunarele mele
Unde este sufletul tău
Unde îmi este transpiraţia ta
A aburit geamul din faţa magazinului Scala
Şi-am să trimit un nebun să te întoarcă cu degetul
Până când n-ai să mai plictiseşti nici un geam
 
Pe mine m-ai plictisit
Eşti doar o vegetaţie pitică a imaginaţiei mele un grilaj
După care gafele mele privesc la tine ca la girafă
Ţi-ai dat cu rochie cu cataif şi cu carne
Dar imediat ce încep să adorm tu nu mai exişti pentru mine
 
Eşti doar un semn pe care mi l-a făcut cineva
Care a băut o viaţă întreagă cu mine
Eşti numai un gând al şosetelor mele doldora de picioarele mele
Ca un piept de şomer plin de cântece muncitoreşti
Close

YOU’LL SHRIVEL UP, YOU’LL BE AN EXOTIC FRUIT

There’s no need to forget you
Because as soon as I fall asleep you’ll no longer exist for me
 
You don’t have to move or sigh
Or whimper in every last wisp of your cells
Because as soon as I fall asleep
You’ll no longer exist for me
 
Turn over a new self to your fetching tail to your tomatoes
Be proud satisfied with your friends distinguished in society
Act as if from tomorrow on
It would take an earthquake to get you to lift your skirt
And only spaded earth would give back part of what you’ve lost
 
Be reasonable
You’ve such beautiful hands that haven’t yet wised up
And never will
Lips the bulldozer driver won’t never know thoughts the carpenter won’t
                                                                      ever hear
Breasts the gravedigger won’t ever lay eyes on
 
Who’ll prepare you and wash you
Who’ll place the small coin in your mouth
Who’ll slip you in my pocket
Where’s your soul
Where’s your sweat
The Scala patisserie window steamed over
I’ll send a madman to wind you up with just one finger
Until you’ll no longer bore any window
 
You bored me
You’re just a tuft of dwarf vegetation my imagination plucked a grille
Through which my gaffes ogle you as if you were a giraffe
You’re graced with dresses spice cake and flesh
But as soon as I fall asleep you’ll no longer exist for me
 
You’re no more than a gesture someone once made to me
Someone who drank all of life with me
You’re the thought of my socks stuffed with my feet
Like an out-of-work man’s breast crammed full of work songs

YOU’LL SHRIVEL UP, YOU’LL BE AN EXOTIC FRUIT

There’s no need to forget you
Because as soon as I fall asleep you’ll no longer exist for me
 
You don’t have to move or sigh
Or whimper in every last wisp of your cells
Because as soon as I fall asleep
You’ll no longer exist for me
 
Turn over a new self to your fetching tail to your tomatoes
Be proud satisfied with your friends distinguished in society
Act as if from tomorrow on
It would take an earthquake to get you to lift your skirt
And only spaded earth would give back part of what you’ve lost
 
Be reasonable
You’ve such beautiful hands that haven’t yet wised up
And never will
Lips the bulldozer driver won’t never know thoughts the carpenter won’t
                                                                      ever hear
Breasts the gravedigger won’t ever lay eyes on
 
Who’ll prepare you and wash you
Who’ll place the small coin in your mouth
Who’ll slip you in my pocket
Where’s your soul
Where’s your sweat
The Scala patisserie window steamed over
I’ll send a madman to wind you up with just one finger
Until you’ll no longer bore any window
 
You bored me
You’re just a tuft of dwarf vegetation my imagination plucked a grille
Through which my gaffes ogle you as if you were a giraffe
You’re graced with dresses spice cake and flesh
But as soon as I fall asleep you’ll no longer exist for me
 
You’re no more than a gesture someone once made to me
Someone who drank all of life with me
You’re the thought of my socks stuffed with my feet
Like an out-of-work man’s breast crammed full of work songs
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