Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Elke Erb

TO FEEL IN YOUR BODY THE BLOOD /

One day, one day, the young man’s
curls
 
Minne means the body – The tender             
smooth muscles
 
radiant.                                               
Coming through the door
 
one day – is
day itself – Of slender
 
girth
down to the shoes
 
Down till evening, he:
who will, who is to be –
 
What wonders, what sweetness
till his image
 
is the old woman herself –
 
To feel in your body the blood /
turn, singing [. . .] the live coal, /
 
red love,                                                         
catch it with both hands

IN JE LIJF VOELEN BLOED /

Op zekere, op zekere dag, jongelings
lokken

minne zegt het lijf – De zachte
gladde spieren

stralen.
Wie binnentreedt

op zekere dag – is
de dag – Smal

van leden
tot aan de schoenen

Tot aan de avond, hij:
zal zijn die hij zijn zal –

Hoeveel wonderen, zoetheid,
tot zijn beeld

de grijze vrouw zelf is –

in je lijf voelen bloed /
zingend keren, […] gloed, /


de rode liefde,
grijpen met je handen

SPÜRN IM LEIB DAS BLUT /

Eines Tages, eines Tages, Jünglings
Locken
 
Minne meint den Leib – Die zarten
glatten Muskeln
 
scheinen.
Der in die Tür tritt
 
eines Tages – ist
der Tag – Hinab
 
bis zu den Schuhen schmalen
Leibs
 
Bis hin zum Abend, er:
wird sein, der sei –
 
Wieviele Wunder, Süße,
bis sein Bild
 
die Greisin selbst ist –
 
Spürn im Leib das Blut /
singend wenden, [...] Glut, /
 
die rote Lieb,
erhaschen mit den Händen
Close

TO FEEL IN YOUR BODY THE BLOOD /

One day, one day, the young man’s
curls
 
Minne means the body – The tender             
smooth muscles
 
radiant.                                               
Coming through the door
 
one day – is
day itself – Of slender
 
girth
down to the shoes
 
Down till evening, he:
who will, who is to be –
 
What wonders, what sweetness
till his image
 
is the old woman herself –
 
To feel in your body the blood /
turn, singing [. . .] the live coal, /
 
red love,                                                         
catch it with both hands

TO FEEL IN YOUR BODY THE BLOOD /

One day, one day, the young man’s
curls
 
Minne means the body – The tender             
smooth muscles
 
radiant.                                               
Coming through the door
 
one day – is
day itself – Of slender
 
girth
down to the shoes
 
Down till evening, he:
who will, who is to be –
 
What wonders, what sweetness
till his image
 
is the old woman herself –
 
To feel in your body the blood /
turn, singing [. . .] the live coal, /
 
red love,                                                         
catch it with both hands
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
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