Poem
Norbert Hummelt
SYRINX
a hot breath on my neck that woke me: you were sliding yourtongue into my ear I was already dreaming when you lay
down beside me so freshly showered and wearing no pyjamas.
then we lay there staring at the ceiling. you reproached me for
my wordless accusation. all I would say was that I would not
say anything more for now. then we spoke and only stumbled
even more. the darkness I am wandering through is total.
even the trams outside are empty at this hour. only my
footsteps echoing on the pavement. the first light emerging
from the bakeries. the first birds waking up. perhaps you are
asleep. but I’m the coldest of all and cannot forgive
myself. the only thing redeeming me is your hot breath.
© Translation: 2014, Catherine Hales
SYRINX
een hete zucht in mijn nek die me wekte: je kwam metje tong aan mijn oor ik was al aan het dromen toen je bij me
kwam liggen dauwfris gedoucht en zonder nachtjapon.
toen lagen we naar het plafond te staren. het zwijgende
verwijt hield je me voor. ik zei alleen dat ik nu niets meer
zeg. toen begonnen we te praten en stortten almaar dieper
neer. de volkomen duisternis waarin ik loop. zelfs
de trams zijn leeg omstreeks dit uur. alleen mijn
stappen op de stenen galmen. het eerste licht komt uit
de bakkerijen. de eerste vogels worden wakker. je slaapt
misschien. maar ik ben de koudste van allen en kan het
me niet vergeven: verlossen kan me alleen je hete zucht.
© Vertaling: 2014, Erik de Smedt
SYRINX
ein heißer hauch im nacken der mich weckte: du kamst mitdeiner zunge an mein ohr ich träumte schon als du dich
zu mir legtest so frisch geduscht u. nicht im schlafanzug.
dann lagen wir u. starrten an die decke. den stummen
vorwurf hieltest du mir vor. ich sagte nur daß ich jetzt
nichts mehr sage. dann sprachen wir u. stürzten nur noch
mehr. die finsternis in der ich gehe ist vollkommen. sogar
die straßenbahnen sind um diese stunde leer. nur meine
schritte auf dem pflaster hallen. das erste licht kommt aus
den bäckereien. die ersten vögel wachen auf. du schläfst
vielleicht. ich aber bin der kälteste von allen u. kann mir
nicht verzeihen: was mich erlöst ist nur dein heißer hauch.
© 2011, Luchterhand Literaturverlag
From: Pans Stunde
Publisher: Luchterhand Literaturverlag, München
From: Pans Stunde
Publisher: Luchterhand Literaturverlag, München
Poems
Poems of Norbert Hummelt
Close
SYRINX
a hot breath on my neck that woke me: you were sliding yourtongue into my ear I was already dreaming when you lay
down beside me so freshly showered and wearing no pyjamas.
then we lay there staring at the ceiling. you reproached me for
my wordless accusation. all I would say was that I would not
say anything more for now. then we spoke and only stumbled
even more. the darkness I am wandering through is total.
even the trams outside are empty at this hour. only my
footsteps echoing on the pavement. the first light emerging
from the bakeries. the first birds waking up. perhaps you are
asleep. but I’m the coldest of all and cannot forgive
myself. the only thing redeeming me is your hot breath.
© 2014, Catherine Hales
From: Pans Stunde
From: Pans Stunde
SYRINX
a hot breath on my neck that woke me: you were sliding yourtongue into my ear I was already dreaming when you lay
down beside me so freshly showered and wearing no pyjamas.
then we lay there staring at the ceiling. you reproached me for
my wordless accusation. all I would say was that I would not
say anything more for now. then we spoke and only stumbled
even more. the darkness I am wandering through is total.
even the trams outside are empty at this hour. only my
footsteps echoing on the pavement. the first light emerging
from the bakeries. the first birds waking up. perhaps you are
asleep. but I’m the coldest of all and cannot forgive
myself. the only thing redeeming me is your hot breath.
© 2014, Catherine Hales
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