Poem
Maarten van der Graaff
NINETEENTH CLOCKED POEM, IN WHICH I TRY ON CLOTHES
18:30
I have discovered a hole
in the heart of the nineties,
into which I, if I were alive,
would fit quite well.
in the heart of the nineties,
into which I, if I were alive,
would fit quite well.
18:34
The jumps of our present,
these endless vistas.
18:36
I will lie with them in the ground,
with my animals, my animals of hide.
I am afraid that my
18:37
I am afraid that my
hyper-focus
will actually cause someone to die.
18:38
will actually cause someone to die.
Microscopic writing, inward
facing time.
Not one form left now,
I speak like a ghost exhaling.
18:39
Not one form left now,
I speak like a ghost exhaling.
Who can write down time
as ghostly as I can?
Who can make a mistake this long
and not reconsider it
blink against the light
and disappear into the dark?
Keep living and go shopping. I want to shop
and feel what it is to be human.
as ghostly as I can?
Who can make a mistake this long
and not reconsider it
blink against the light
and disappear into the dark?
Keep living and go shopping. I want to shop
and feel what it is to be human.
18:43
I am an agent and try on clothes.
I put on lots and lots of woolly clothes
in a tastefully lit fitting-room.
My body is buoyant, wide-awake.
18:46
I put on lots and lots of woolly clothes
in a tastefully lit fitting-room.
My body is buoyant, wide-awake.
These clothes. This room.
18:47
I drum on my stomach
and observe that my organs
exist.
I keep my organs warm
in the clothes that I buy.
Such dreamlike marketing exists.
18:49
and observe that my organs
exist.
I keep my organs warm
in the clothes that I buy.
Such dreamlike marketing exists.
I was called, I heard something.
Flames may descend
at any minute and make the hole
in which I’ll lay myself.
Flames may descend
at any minute and make the hole
in which I’ll lay myself.
18:51
That the towers have collapsed
is such powerful, darkly magical language
that my youth must have
is such powerful, darkly magical language
that my youth must have
been pervaded by it.
I remember grainy images,
but see me with my mother
walk through a shopping mall in Roosendaal
or stand in front of my school.
My half-dead time at school.
The market alone brings me alive,
provides me with experiences.
I remember grainy images,
but see me with my mother
walk through a shopping mall in Roosendaal
or stand in front of my school.
My half-dead time at school.
The market alone brings me alive,
provides me with experiences.
NEGENTIENDE GEKLOKTE GEDICHT, WAARIN IK KLEREN PAS
NEGENTIENDE GEKLOKTE GEDICHT, WAARIN IK KLEREN PAS
18:30
Ik heb een gat ontdekt
in het hart van de jaren negentig,
waar ik, als ik zou leven,
goed in zou passen.
waar ik, als ik zou leven,
goed in zou passen.
18:34
Ons verspringende heden,
deze eindeloze vergezichten.
deze eindeloze vergezichten.
18:36
Ik zal bij ze liggen in de grond,
bij mijn dieren, mijn dieren van vacht.
Ik ben bang dat mijn
18:37
bij mijn dieren, mijn dieren van vacht.
Ik ben bang dat mijn
hyperfocus
iemand daadwerkelijk zal doen sterven.
18:38
iemand daadwerkelijk zal doen sterven.
Microscopisch schrift, naar binnen
geslagen tijd.
Geen enkele vorm meer nu,
ik praat als een uitademend spook.
18:39
geslagen tijd.
Geen enkele vorm meer nu,
ik praat als een uitademend spook.
Wie kan zo spookachtig
de tijd opschrijven als ik?
Wie kan zolang een fout maken
en er niet op terugkomen
knipperen tegen het licht
en in het donker verdwijnen?
Doorleven en winkelen. Ik wil winkelen
en mij een mens voelen.
de tijd opschrijven als ik?
Wie kan zolang een fout maken
en er niet op terugkomen
knipperen tegen het licht
en in het donker verdwijnen?
Doorleven en winkelen. Ik wil winkelen
en mij een mens voelen.
18:43
Ik ben een actor en pas kleren.
Ik trek heel veel dikke kleren aan
in een sfeervol verlicht pashokje.
Mijn lichaam is opgewekt, klaarwakker.
18:46
Ik trek heel veel dikke kleren aan
in een sfeervol verlicht pashokje.
Mijn lichaam is opgewekt, klaarwakker.
Deze kleren. Dit hokje.
18:47
Ik beklop mijn buik
en constateer dat mijn organen
bestaan.
Ik houd mijn organen warm
in de kleren die ik koop.
Er bestaat zulke dromerige marketing.
18:49
en constateer dat mijn organen
bestaan.
Ik houd mijn organen warm
in de kleren die ik koop.
Er bestaat zulke dromerige marketing.
Ik ben geroepen, ik heb iets gehoord.
Vuur kan ieder moment
naar beneden komen en de kuil maken
waarin ik mij zal neerleggen.
18:51
Vuur kan ieder moment
naar beneden komen en de kuil maken
waarin ik mij zal neerleggen.
Dat de torens zijn ingestort
is zulke machtige, zwart-magische taal
dat mijn jeugd ervan doordrongen
moet zijn geweest.
Ik herinner me gruizige beelden,
maar zie me met mijn moeder
door een winkelcentrum in Roosendaal lopen
of bij mijn school staan.
Mijn halfdode tijd op school.
Alleen de markt maakt mij levend,
bezorgt mij ervaringen.
is zulke machtige, zwart-magische taal
dat mijn jeugd ervan doordrongen
moet zijn geweest.
Ik herinner me gruizige beelden,
maar zie me met mijn moeder
door een winkelcentrum in Roosendaal lopen
of bij mijn school staan.
Mijn halfdode tijd op school.
Alleen de markt maakt mij levend,
bezorgt mij ervaringen.
From: Dood werk
Publisher: Atlas Contact, Amsterdam
Publisher: Atlas Contact, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Maarten van der Graaff
Close
NINETEENTH CLOCKED POEM, IN WHICH I TRY ON CLOTHES
18:30
I have discovered a hole
in the heart of the nineties,
into which I, if I were alive,
would fit quite well.
in the heart of the nineties,
into which I, if I were alive,
would fit quite well.
18:34
The jumps of our present,
these endless vistas.
18:36
I will lie with them in the ground,
with my animals, my animals of hide.
I am afraid that my
18:37
I am afraid that my
hyper-focus
will actually cause someone to die.
18:38
will actually cause someone to die.
Microscopic writing, inward
facing time.
Not one form left now,
I speak like a ghost exhaling.
18:39
Not one form left now,
I speak like a ghost exhaling.
Who can write down time
as ghostly as I can?
Who can make a mistake this long
and not reconsider it
blink against the light
and disappear into the dark?
Keep living and go shopping. I want to shop
and feel what it is to be human.
as ghostly as I can?
Who can make a mistake this long
and not reconsider it
blink against the light
and disappear into the dark?
Keep living and go shopping. I want to shop
and feel what it is to be human.
18:43
I am an agent and try on clothes.
I put on lots and lots of woolly clothes
in a tastefully lit fitting-room.
My body is buoyant, wide-awake.
18:46
I put on lots and lots of woolly clothes
in a tastefully lit fitting-room.
My body is buoyant, wide-awake.
These clothes. This room.
18:47
I drum on my stomach
and observe that my organs
exist.
I keep my organs warm
in the clothes that I buy.
Such dreamlike marketing exists.
18:49
and observe that my organs
exist.
I keep my organs warm
in the clothes that I buy.
Such dreamlike marketing exists.
I was called, I heard something.
Flames may descend
at any minute and make the hole
in which I’ll lay myself.
Flames may descend
at any minute and make the hole
in which I’ll lay myself.
18:51
That the towers have collapsed
is such powerful, darkly magical language
that my youth must have
is such powerful, darkly magical language
that my youth must have
been pervaded by it.
I remember grainy images,
but see me with my mother
walk through a shopping mall in Roosendaal
or stand in front of my school.
My half-dead time at school.
The market alone brings me alive,
provides me with experiences.
I remember grainy images,
but see me with my mother
walk through a shopping mall in Roosendaal
or stand in front of my school.
My half-dead time at school.
The market alone brings me alive,
provides me with experiences.
From: Dood werk
NINETEENTH CLOCKED POEM, IN WHICH I TRY ON CLOTHES
18:30
I have discovered a hole
in the heart of the nineties,
into which I, if I were alive,
would fit quite well.
in the heart of the nineties,
into which I, if I were alive,
would fit quite well.
18:34
The jumps of our present,
these endless vistas.
18:36
I will lie with them in the ground,
with my animals, my animals of hide.
I am afraid that my
18:37
I am afraid that my
hyper-focus
will actually cause someone to die.
18:38
will actually cause someone to die.
Microscopic writing, inward
facing time.
Not one form left now,
I speak like a ghost exhaling.
18:39
Not one form left now,
I speak like a ghost exhaling.
Who can write down time
as ghostly as I can?
Who can make a mistake this long
and not reconsider it
blink against the light
and disappear into the dark?
Keep living and go shopping. I want to shop
and feel what it is to be human.
as ghostly as I can?
Who can make a mistake this long
and not reconsider it
blink against the light
and disappear into the dark?
Keep living and go shopping. I want to shop
and feel what it is to be human.
18:43
I am an agent and try on clothes.
I put on lots and lots of woolly clothes
in a tastefully lit fitting-room.
My body is buoyant, wide-awake.
18:46
I put on lots and lots of woolly clothes
in a tastefully lit fitting-room.
My body is buoyant, wide-awake.
These clothes. This room.
18:47
I drum on my stomach
and observe that my organs
exist.
I keep my organs warm
in the clothes that I buy.
Such dreamlike marketing exists.
18:49
and observe that my organs
exist.
I keep my organs warm
in the clothes that I buy.
Such dreamlike marketing exists.
I was called, I heard something.
Flames may descend
at any minute and make the hole
in which I’ll lay myself.
Flames may descend
at any minute and make the hole
in which I’ll lay myself.
18:51
That the towers have collapsed
is such powerful, darkly magical language
that my youth must have
is such powerful, darkly magical language
that my youth must have
been pervaded by it.
I remember grainy images,
but see me with my mother
walk through a shopping mall in Roosendaal
or stand in front of my school.
My half-dead time at school.
The market alone brings me alive,
provides me with experiences.
I remember grainy images,
but see me with my mother
walk through a shopping mall in Roosendaal
or stand in front of my school.
My half-dead time at school.
The market alone brings me alive,
provides me with experiences.
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