Poem
Nico Bleutge
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only briefly
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only brieflyon the roofs. the tiles expand their moss and the stone
takes on the curve of the hills. washed-out leaves
the grass lies flat on the slopes, narrow and soft
the road presses itself against the bank, which slopes gently down
its shadowy borders are pushing slowly backwards
into the palms of hands, at the little table only the metal threads
reach behind the knuckles, and the glassy stalks
of flowers, which make trails on the wax cover, fissures
from the under-arm to the gutters. only on the branches
do the fingers get a grasp, their coarse joints
give some grip to the bark and hatch again
what the wire loops reveal, rubbed off trunks
which the thumbnail goes to, the damp spots
on the railing, they grow warm under the finger whorls
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia, 2004
Publisher: Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia, 2004
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only briefly
westseite, dämmerung, die schärfe der kanten hält sich nur kurz
auf den dächern. die ziegel weiten ihr moos und der stein
nimmt die wölbung der hügel an. ausgewaschene blätter
das gras liegt flach an den hängen, schmal und weich
drückt die straße gegen den damm, der leicht absinkt
seine schattigen ränder schieben sich langsam zurück
in die handflächen, hinter die knöchel am tischchen
reichen allein die metallfäden und die glasigen stempel
der blüten, die auf der wachsdecke spuren ziehen, kleine risse
vom unterarm bis an die rinnsteine. erst an den ästen
haken die finger sich ein, ihre rauhen gelenke
geben der borke ein wenig halt und stricheln nach
was die drahtschlaufen anzeigen, abgeriebene stämme
an die der daumennagel geht, die feuchten stellen
am geländer, unter den tastlinien werden sie warm
auf den dächern. die ziegel weiten ihr moos und der stein
nimmt die wölbung der hügel an. ausgewaschene blätter
das gras liegt flach an den hängen, schmal und weich
drückt die straße gegen den damm, der leicht absinkt
seine schattigen ränder schieben sich langsam zurück
in die handflächen, hinter die knöchel am tischchen
reichen allein die metallfäden und die glasigen stempel
der blüten, die auf der wachsdecke spuren ziehen, kleine risse
vom unterarm bis an die rinnsteine. erst an den ästen
haken die finger sich ein, ihre rauhen gelenke
geben der borke ein wenig halt und stricheln nach
was die drahtschlaufen anzeigen, abgeriebene stämme
an die der daumennagel geht, die feuchten stellen
am geländer, unter den tastlinien werden sie warm
© 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
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only briefly
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only brieflyon the roofs. the tiles expand their moss and the stone
takes on the curve of the hills. washed-out leaves
the grass lies flat on the slopes, narrow and soft
the road presses itself against the bank, which slopes gently down
its shadowy borders are pushing slowly backwards
into the palms of hands, at the little table only the metal threads
reach behind the knuckles, and the glassy stalks
of flowers, which make trails on the wax cover, fissures
from the under-arm to the gutters. only on the branches
do the fingers get a grasp, their coarse joints
give some grip to the bark and hatch again
what the wire loops reveal, rubbed off trunks
which the thumbnail goes to, the damp spots
on the railing, they grow warm under the finger whorls
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only briefly
west side, twilight, the sharpness of edges remains only brieflyon the roofs. the tiles expand their moss and the stone
takes on the curve of the hills. washed-out leaves
the grass lies flat on the slopes, narrow and soft
the road presses itself against the bank, which slopes gently down
its shadowy borders are pushing slowly backwards
into the palms of hands, at the little table only the metal threads
reach behind the knuckles, and the glassy stalks
of flowers, which make trails on the wax cover, fissures
from the under-arm to the gutters. only on the branches
do the fingers get a grasp, their coarse joints
give some grip to the bark and hatch again
what the wire loops reveal, rubbed off trunks
which the thumbnail goes to, the damp spots
on the railing, they grow warm under the finger whorls
From: Mouth to Mouth. Contemporary German Poetry in Translation.
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
Publisher: 2004, Giramondo Publishing Company: Newcastle, Australia
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère