Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nachoem M. Wijnberg

At the start of the evening

When you drifted ashore on a beach
a girl looked at you,
as if she was being asked a question,
not by you,
but by someone far away.

You wished her a marriage
in which she and whoever is with her
try to answer together.

You walked down the street
and walking ahead of you were two marriage
brokers.

What were they
discussing?

How badly
their last two customers 
would need them.

Aan het begin van de avond

Aan het begin van de avond

Toen je op een strand aanspoelde
keek een meisje naar je,
alsof haar een vraag gesteld werd,
niet door jou,
maar door iemand ver weg.

Je wenste haar een huwelijk
waarin zij en wie bij haar is
samen antwoord proberen te geven.

Je liep op straat
en voor je uit liepen twee huwelijks-
makelaars.

Waarover spraken zij
met elkaar?

Over hoe erg hun laatste
twee klanten hen nodig
zouden hebben.
Close

At the start of the evening

When you drifted ashore on a beach
a girl looked at you,
as if she was being asked a question,
not by you,
but by someone far away.

You wished her a marriage
in which she and whoever is with her
try to answer together.

You walked down the street
and walking ahead of you were two marriage
brokers.

What were they
discussing?

How badly
their last two customers 
would need them.

At the start of the evening

When you drifted ashore on a beach
a girl looked at you,
as if she was being asked a question,
not by you,
but by someone far away.

You wished her a marriage
in which she and whoever is with her
try to answer together.

You walked down the street
and walking ahead of you were two marriage
brokers.

What were they
discussing?

How badly
their last two customers 
would need them.
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