Poem
Lies Van Gasse
REVOLUTION XV
This afternoon when, in full sun,I found myself a body,
hair turned long,
loops grew beneath skirts.
I wondered what it meant
when no rope can find its knots,
when wood unravels,
and we are late, but lost.
Years lay between us.
A woman has borne children
and swapped houses.
This afternoon,
when the flesh grew on my bones
and the sea rose to the flood line,
I wondered where the waves led.
Coils were rewound.
I felt entirely absent,
looked at the back of who I was.
This afternoon lives were rounded off,
cats licked one another clean.
It was a tender moment.
We pulled out each other’s hair.
Unexpectedly the past returned.
This afternoon
a smile fell
like glass between the ropes.
I circle around you.
I paint cats’ paws,
set the beacons out.
The face consists of hollows,
the body of deficiency.
Like this, I want
to be around you.
© Translation: 2013, Lies Van Gasse
WENTELING XV
WENTELING XV
Deze middag, toen ik mij in de volle zoneen lichaam wist,
werden haren lang,
groeiden lussen onder rokken.
Ik vroeg mij af wat het betekent
als geen touw haar knopen vindt,
als het hout ontwart
en wij laat zijn, maar verloren.
Jaren lagen tussen ons.
Een vrouw had kinderen gebaard
en huizen ingewisseld.
Deze middag,
toen het vlees aan mijn botten groeide
en de zee tot de vloedlijn rees,
vroeg ik mij af waarheen de golven leiden.
Spoelen werden teruggedraaid.
Ik voelde mij volmaakt afwezig,
keek op de rug van wie ik was.
Deze middag werden levens afgesloten,
likten katten elkaar schoon.
Het was een zacht moment.
We trokken elkaars haren uit.
Het verleden keerde onverwachts.
Deze middag
viel een glimlach
als glas tussen de touwen.
Ik cirkel wel rondom u.
Ik schilder kattenpoten,
zet de bakens uit.
Het gezicht bestaat uit holtes,
het lichaam uit ontbreken.
Zo wil ik wel
rondom u.
© 2013, Lies Van Gasse
From: Wenteling
Publisher: Wereldbibliotheek, Amsterdam
From: Wenteling
Publisher: Wereldbibliotheek, Amsterdam
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REVOLUTION XV
This afternoon when, in full sun,I found myself a body,
hair turned long,
loops grew beneath skirts.
I wondered what it meant
when no rope can find its knots,
when wood unravels,
and we are late, but lost.
Years lay between us.
A woman has borne children
and swapped houses.
This afternoon,
when the flesh grew on my bones
and the sea rose to the flood line,
I wondered where the waves led.
Coils were rewound.
I felt entirely absent,
looked at the back of who I was.
This afternoon lives were rounded off,
cats licked one another clean.
It was a tender moment.
We pulled out each other’s hair.
Unexpectedly the past returned.
This afternoon
a smile fell
like glass between the ropes.
I circle around you.
I paint cats’ paws,
set the beacons out.
The face consists of hollows,
the body of deficiency.
Like this, I want
to be around you.
© 2013, Lies Van Gasse
From: Wenteling
From: Wenteling
REVOLUTION XV
This afternoon when, in full sun,I found myself a body,
hair turned long,
loops grew beneath skirts.
I wondered what it meant
when no rope can find its knots,
when wood unravels,
and we are late, but lost.
Years lay between us.
A woman has borne children
and swapped houses.
This afternoon,
when the flesh grew on my bones
and the sea rose to the flood line,
I wondered where the waves led.
Coils were rewound.
I felt entirely absent,
looked at the back of who I was.
This afternoon lives were rounded off,
cats licked one another clean.
It was a tender moment.
We pulled out each other’s hair.
Unexpectedly the past returned.
This afternoon
a smile fell
like glass between the ropes.
I circle around you.
I paint cats’ paws,
set the beacons out.
The face consists of hollows,
the body of deficiency.
Like this, I want
to be around you.
© 2013, Lies Van Gasse
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