Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Xavier Roelens

Coda

    she spoons rainwater from his head, takes him
by the wrists and prevents him from boarding the train;
platform’s getting filthy.

him baring his brain makes that the bystanders
call for the stationmaster. speckles and flecks of dust
linger
in the mush of his mind and the more she tries
  to make eye contact, the more her nails
speak
the more he looks around for someone with
  blue socks that are supposed to give him an answer.
murmurings increase, the sun appears from behind
clouds, first on his left and subsequently on his
    right cerebral hemisphere. he slowly dries out and
leaks and she thinks that for her, that he’ll want to be
himself in her image for her sake.

Coda

Coda

     ze lepelt regenwater uit zijn hoofd, neemt hem
bij de polsen en voorkomt dat hij de trein opstapt;
vies wordt het perron.

dat hij zijn hersens blootgeeft, doet de omstanders
om de stationschef roepen. spikkels en stofjes
blijven
in de brij van zijn verstand kleven en hoe meer zij
  oogcontact probeert te maken, hoe meer haar nagels
spreken,
hoe meer hij rondkijkt op zoek naar iemand met
  blauwe sokken die hem de oplossing moet vertellen.
geroezemoes stijgt, de zon komt van achter
wolken, eerst op zijn linker- en dan op zijn
     rechterhersenhelft. hij droogt langzaam uit en
lekt en zij denkt dat hij om haar, dat hij naar haar
beeld zichzelf zal willen zijn.
Close

Coda

    she spoons rainwater from his head, takes him
by the wrists and prevents him from boarding the train;
platform’s getting filthy.

him baring his brain makes that the bystanders
call for the stationmaster. speckles and flecks of dust
linger
in the mush of his mind and the more she tries
  to make eye contact, the more her nails
speak
the more he looks around for someone with
  blue socks that are supposed to give him an answer.
murmurings increase, the sun appears from behind
clouds, first on his left and subsequently on his
    right cerebral hemisphere. he slowly dries out and
leaks and she thinks that for her, that he’ll want to be
himself in her image for her sake.

Coda

    she spoons rainwater from his head, takes him
by the wrists and prevents him from boarding the train;
platform’s getting filthy.

him baring his brain makes that the bystanders
call for the stationmaster. speckles and flecks of dust
linger
in the mush of his mind and the more she tries
  to make eye contact, the more her nails
speak
the more he looks around for someone with
  blue socks that are supposed to give him an answer.
murmurings increase, the sun appears from behind
clouds, first on his left and subsequently on his
    right cerebral hemisphere. he slowly dries out and
leaks and she thinks that for her, that he’ll want to be
himself in her image for her sake.
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