Poem
Maud Vanhauwaert
What to do with
What to do with the woman who suddenlyspread her arms. Did she want to hug me
or was she pointing in two directions _
What to do with the writer who hasn’t
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _
What to do with the man on the bridge. He
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _
With the man who strung himself up with
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
With the raped girl and the people
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _
The woman who exposes her rolls of fat
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _
The burnt motorbike and the sleepless child
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
What to do with the testicles of the tomcat
that is much calmer now _
that is much calmer now _
What to do with the people with nothing to say
who have come to the party anyway _
who have come to the party anyway _
What to do with the queasy child.
He really does feel very sick _
He really does feel very sick _
What to do with the woman who pops up behind
me and says ‘you know me from somewhere
and you get to say where’ _
© Translation: 2016, David Colmer
Wat doen we met
Wat doen we met
Wat doen we met de vrouw die plots haararmen spreidde. Wilde ze me omhelzen
of wees ze twee richtingen aan_
Wat doen we met de schrijver die zijn
boeken niet uitgaf want ‘zolang de vruchten
niet zijn gevallen, rotten ze niet’_
boeken niet uitgaf want ‘zolang de vruchten
niet zijn gevallen, rotten ze niet’_
Wat doen we met de man op de brug. Hij
tuurt in de verte en zegt ‘ik kan ervan
meespreken’ _
tuurt in de verte en zegt ‘ik kan ervan
meespreken’ _
Met de man die zichzelf met een das heeft
opgeknoopt. Plechtig en deftig. Met respect
voor de dood _
opgeknoopt. Plechtig en deftig. Met respect
voor de dood _
Met het verkrachte meisje en de mensen
die zeggen ‘zo mooi is ze toch niet’ _
die zeggen ‘zo mooi is ze toch niet’ _
De vrouw die haar vetrollen toont en
zegt ‘kijk, dit is mijn sloppenwijk’ _
zegt ‘kijk, dit is mijn sloppenwijk’ _
De verkoolde brommer en het slapeloze
kind dat plots weer in de living staat _
kind dat plots weer in de living staat _
Wat doen we met de testikels van de kater
die nu rustiger is _
die nu rustiger is _
Wat doen we met hen die niets te vertellen
hebben en toch op het feestje zijn _
Wat doen we met de misselijke kleuter.
Hij is echt heel misselijk _
Hij is echt heel misselijk _
Wat doen we met de vrouw die plots achter
mij staat en zegt ‘je kent mij van ergens
en je mag kiezen van waar’ _
From: Wij zijn evenwijdig
Publisher: Querido, Amsterdam
Publisher: Querido, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Maud Vanhauwaert
Close
What to do with
What to do with the woman who suddenlyspread her arms. Did she want to hug me
or was she pointing in two directions _
What to do with the writer who hasn’t
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _
What to do with the man on the bridge. He
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _
With the man who strung himself up with
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
With the raped girl and the people
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _
The woman who exposes her rolls of fat
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _
The burnt motorbike and the sleepless child
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
What to do with the testicles of the tomcat
that is much calmer now _
that is much calmer now _
What to do with the people with nothing to say
who have come to the party anyway _
who have come to the party anyway _
What to do with the queasy child.
He really does feel very sick _
He really does feel very sick _
What to do with the woman who pops up behind
me and says ‘you know me from somewhere
and you get to say where’ _
© 2016, David Colmer
From: Wij zijn evenwijdig
From: Wij zijn evenwijdig
What to do with
What to do with the woman who suddenlyspread her arms. Did she want to hug me
or was she pointing in two directions _
What to do with the writer who hasn’t
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _
What to do with the man on the bridge. He
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _
With the man who strung himself up with
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
With the raped girl and the people
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _
The woman who exposes her rolls of fat
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _
The burnt motorbike and the sleepless child
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
What to do with the testicles of the tomcat
that is much calmer now _
that is much calmer now _
What to do with the people with nothing to say
who have come to the party anyway _
who have come to the party anyway _
What to do with the queasy child.
He really does feel very sick _
He really does feel very sick _
What to do with the woman who pops up behind
me and says ‘you know me from somewhere
and you get to say where’ _
© 2016, David Colmer
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