Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ruth Lasters

KEEL

Boats wear beards under water,
strands of seaweed and algae, slowing them down

as if there were growing there wilfully beards of
lost fathers, who never once heard: Dad, you did it Well-

shaved keels cleave razor-sharp
fast. Boat beards never reach ocean beds or become so long

that whoever spies them diving needs
gills. For everyone it is a different delightful walk

–  for me along this weathered quay – where each
of us paid the price of not having

gills.

KIEL

KIEL

Boten dragen baarden onder water,
wier- en algenslierten, vaartvertragend

als groeiden daar moedwillig verder baarden van
verloren vaders, die niet één keer hoorden: Paps, je deed het Goed-

geschoren kielen klieven messcherp
snel. Nooit raken bootbaarden oceaanbodems of worden ze zo lang

dat wie hen duikend ontwart kieuwen
nodig heeft. Voor iedereen is het een andere verrukkelijke wandeling

– voor mij die langs deze verweerde kade – waar wij elk
het niet hebben van kieuwen voor

betaalden.
Close

KEEL

Boats wear beards under water,
strands of seaweed and algae, slowing them down

as if there were growing there wilfully beards of
lost fathers, who never once heard: Dad, you did it Well-

shaved keels cleave razor-sharp
fast. Boat beards never reach ocean beds or become so long

that whoever spies them diving needs
gills. For everyone it is a different delightful walk

–  for me along this weathered quay – where each
of us paid the price of not having

gills.

KEEL

Boats wear beards under water,
strands of seaweed and algae, slowing them down

as if there were growing there wilfully beards of
lost fathers, who never once heard: Dad, you did it Well-

shaved keels cleave razor-sharp
fast. Boat beards never reach ocean beds or become so long

that whoever spies them diving needs
gills. For everyone it is a different delightful walk

–  for me along this weathered quay – where each
of us paid the price of not having

gills.
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