Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Elke Erb

‘As firm as the cloud’

As firm as the cloud,                          
 
that dark one, hanging low
as if heavy:
 
no guarantee –
 
no counting on, nothing to protect
no one to console,
 
should I,
 
they’ll die, suffer, leave,
should I forget
 
the cat, her mark.

‘Zo vast als de wolk’

Zo vast als de wolk,

die donkere, laaghangend
zwaar zogezegd:

geen garantie –

geen vertrouwen, niets kan ik beschermen,
niemand troosten,

moest ik,

ze sterven, lijden, gaan op reis,
moest ik de kat

vergeten, haar tekening.

So fest wie die Wolke,
 
die dunkle, niederhängend
wie schwer:
 
keine Gewähr –
 
kein Verlaß, nichts kann ich schützen,
niemanden trösten,
 
sollte ich,
 
sie sterben, leiden, verreisen,
sollte ich die Katze
 
vergessen, die Zeichnung.
Close

‘As firm as the cloud’

As firm as the cloud,                          
 
that dark one, hanging low
as if heavy:
 
no guarantee –
 
no counting on, nothing to protect
no one to console,
 
should I,
 
they’ll die, suffer, leave,
should I forget
 
the cat, her mark.

‘As firm as the cloud’

As firm as the cloud,                          
 
that dark one, hanging low
as if heavy:
 
no guarantee –
 
no counting on, nothing to protect
no one to console,
 
should I,
 
they’ll die, suffer, leave,
should I forget
 
the cat, her mark.
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