Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ruth Lasters

NEON

Neon light, how it often starts flickering
when I’m aware of my futility. Coincidence, it’s true, but

thinking of my cosmic tininess
I already saw (made) them blink: a mirror-fronted wardrobe’s neon tube, the T

of Bar Tamar, the hat of Tio Pepe
advertisements. And that the popping of a lamp bulb in a window

can already cause minute alarm, shift
during the deed, so that a different sperm cell than the one from which we –

had made it. So lamp maintenance – may it
always be done with blind arbitrariness – is ethically a highly

charged business.

NEON

NEON

Neonlicht, hoe het vaak knipperen gaat
als ik mijn nietigheid besef. Toeval weliswaar, maar

denkend aan mijn kosmische petieterigheid
zag (deed) ik pinken reeds: een spiegelkast-tl-buis, de T van Bar

Tamar, de hoed van Tío Pepe -
lichtreclames. En dat het stukspringen van een lantaarnlamp voor een raam

al kan veroorzaken een minuscuul verschrikken, verliggen
tijdens de daad, waardoor een andere zaadcel dan die ene waaruit wij –

het had gehaald. Lantaarnonderhoud – geschiede het
met blinde willekeur steeds – is dus een ethisch zéér

beladen zaak.
Close

NEON

Neon light, how it often starts flickering
when I’m aware of my futility. Coincidence, it’s true, but

thinking of my cosmic tininess
I already saw (made) them blink: a mirror-fronted wardrobe’s neon tube, the T

of Bar Tamar, the hat of Tio Pepe
advertisements. And that the popping of a lamp bulb in a window

can already cause minute alarm, shift
during the deed, so that a different sperm cell than the one from which we –

had made it. So lamp maintenance – may it
always be done with blind arbitrariness – is ethically a highly

charged business.

NEON

Neon light, how it often starts flickering
when I’m aware of my futility. Coincidence, it’s true, but

thinking of my cosmic tininess
I already saw (made) them blink: a mirror-fronted wardrobe’s neon tube, the T

of Bar Tamar, the hat of Tio Pepe
advertisements. And that the popping of a lamp bulb in a window

can already cause minute alarm, shift
during the deed, so that a different sperm cell than the one from which we –

had made it. So lamp maintenance – may it
always be done with blind arbitrariness – is ethically a highly

charged business.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère