Poem
Nico Bleutge
honey-warm pupils . . .
. . . and was just this one little bit, somethinglike skin. that is now being quite closely examined
and touched by a delicate hand. it is in the shadow
where this curve appears, of hairs, little waves
above the nape. soon the dips between them
fade. that points ahead to something bare, to the beautiful naked
woman on the wall, squinting so calmly into the room, this round
tattered mouth and these dots on the underside of the arms.
has the draughtsman’s hand failed? the recognition of an opening
refuses to come, only a mild dab makes itself known
whether that’s enough to breathe through, the figure trembles, it seems
the dislocated contour has politely jogged the painter
into pressing a bit harder and turning the shade
inwards. meanwhile the material at the other end can hardly
be seen. that hangs all too loose on the hip. where
has the seam got to, the fine and slightly undecided stroke
which connects a possibility with another
. . . possibility in the skin. oh sweet honey
on the soft eyelid. the nape remains with the little
tender piece of a wave. and the pupils move on.
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia, 2004
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia, 2004
honigwarme pupillen . . .
honigwarme pupillen . . .
. . . und war nur dieses eine stückchen, etwaswie haut. das wird nun ganz genau betrachtet
und von einer feinen hand berührt. es liegt im schatten
wo sich diese wölbung zeigt, von haaren, kleinen wellen
oberhalb des nackens. bald schon lösen sich die rillen
ab. das weist voraus auf kahles, auf die schöne nackte
an der wand, die schielt so ruhig ins zimmer, dieser runde
ausgefranste mund und diese punkte auf den unterarmen.
hat hier der zeichner sich vertan? es will nicht recht gelingen
eine öffnung zu erkennen, nur ein milder klecks sticht vor
ob das zum atmen reicht, es zittert die figur, wie’s scheint
hat die verschobene kontur den maler höflich angeregt
ein wenig fester aufzudrücken und den schatten ein-
zudrehn. doch kaum zu sehen ist dafür der stoff
am andern ende, der allzu lose um die hüfte hängt. wo
ist denn hier die naht, der feine etwas unbestimmte strich
der eine möglichkeit mit einer andern möglichkeit . . .
. . . mit einer falte in der haut verknüpft. ach süßer honig
auf dem weichen lid. es bleibt der nacken mit dem kleinen
zart gewellten stück. und die pupillen wandern weiter.
© 2003, Nico Bleutge
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
Poems
Poems of Nico Bleutge
Close
honey-warm pupils . . .
. . . and was just this one little bit, somethinglike skin. that is now being quite closely examined
and touched by a delicate hand. it is in the shadow
where this curve appears, of hairs, little waves
above the nape. soon the dips between them
fade. that points ahead to something bare, to the beautiful naked
woman on the wall, squinting so calmly into the room, this round
tattered mouth and these dots on the underside of the arms.
has the draughtsman’s hand failed? the recognition of an opening
refuses to come, only a mild dab makes itself known
whether that’s enough to breathe through, the figure trembles, it seems
the dislocated contour has politely jogged the painter
into pressing a bit harder and turning the shade
inwards. meanwhile the material at the other end can hardly
be seen. that hangs all too loose on the hip. where
has the seam got to, the fine and slightly undecided stroke
which connects a possibility with another
. . . possibility in the skin. oh sweet honey
on the soft eyelid. the nape remains with the little
tender piece of a wave. and the pupils move on.
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
honey-warm pupils . . .
. . . and was just this one little bit, somethinglike skin. that is now being quite closely examined
and touched by a delicate hand. it is in the shadow
where this curve appears, of hairs, little waves
above the nape. soon the dips between them
fade. that points ahead to something bare, to the beautiful naked
woman on the wall, squinting so calmly into the room, this round
tattered mouth and these dots on the underside of the arms.
has the draughtsman’s hand failed? the recognition of an opening
refuses to come, only a mild dab makes itself known
whether that’s enough to breathe through, the figure trembles, it seems
the dislocated contour has politely jogged the painter
into pressing a bit harder and turning the shade
inwards. meanwhile the material at the other end can hardly
be seen. that hangs all too loose on the hip. where
has the seam got to, the fine and slightly undecided stroke
which connects a possibility with another
. . . possibility in the skin. oh sweet honey
on the soft eyelid. the nape remains with the little
tender piece of a wave. and the pupils move on.
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
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