Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Roberto Amato

So very little time

So very little time
to write to you

eternity has shrunk
and my wife is taking me away

she too
is a very tired looking woman:
she no longer feels like
letting me visit every corner of the earth

but if I tell her to leave me here
(where I could write to you in peace and quiet)
she livens up
tells me there is no quiet in peace
and that I am an indolent man

she says
I’ve got nothing in my head
but the thought of finding a lover

Er is zo weinig tijd

Er is zo weinig tijd
om je te schrijven

de eeuwigheid is gekrompen
en mijn vrouw haalt me op

ook zij
lijkt een zeer vermoeide vrouw
ze wil niet langer
dat ik alle plekken op aarde bezoek

maar als ik haar zeg laat mij maar hier
(waar ik je in alle rust kan schrijven)
dan leeft ze op
ze zegt me dat echte rust niet bestaat
en dat ik een ontvlambare man ben

ze zegt
dat ik geen plannen maak
behalve dan om een minnares te zoeken

Talmente poco tempo
per scriverti

l’eternità si è contratta
e mia moglie mi porta via

anche lei
sembra una donna molto stanca:
non ha più voglia
di farmi visitare tutti i luoghi della terra

ma se le dico di lasciarmi qui
(qui dove potrei scriverti in santa pace)
lei si rianima
mi dice che la pace non è mai santa
e io sono un uomo accidioso

dice
che non ho niente in testa
a parte farmi un’amante
Close

So very little time

So very little time
to write to you

eternity has shrunk
and my wife is taking me away

she too
is a very tired looking woman:
she no longer feels like
letting me visit every corner of the earth

but if I tell her to leave me here
(where I could write to you in peace and quiet)
she livens up
tells me there is no quiet in peace
and that I am an indolent man

she says
I’ve got nothing in my head
but the thought of finding a lover

So very little time

So very little time
to write to you

eternity has shrunk
and my wife is taking me away

she too
is a very tired looking woman:
she no longer feels like
letting me visit every corner of the earth

but if I tell her to leave me here
(where I could write to you in peace and quiet)
she livens up
tells me there is no quiet in peace
and that I am an indolent man

she says
I’ve got nothing in my head
but the thought of finding a lover
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