Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Dominique De Groen

IX. Deep Time

In the nuclear twilight
the animals, the plants
and the minerals of the earth
have acquired unparalleled powers
many times greater than those of humans.

Eras elapse:

Cactaceacene
Birguscene
Limulidacene.

The colors bleed out of things
and glob together in the sand
which radiates with increasing intensity
and soaring saturation

and all the markets
that have piled up
haphazardly over the centuries

collapse one by one

until the whole
ramshackle structure
comes down

and forms a hard, geometric puddle
of dead currency
teeming with animals.

New organisms spring up everywhere
in an explosion of life
of Cambrian proportions.

On an ancient island
of plastic
polystyrene mosses multiply
in the shadow
of venerable, old polystyrene trees.

Here live the spirits of mankind.

IX. Diepe Tijd

IX. Diepe Tijd

In de nucleaire schemerzone
hebben de dieren, planten
en mineralen van de aarde
ongeziene krachten verworven
vele malen groter dan die van de mens.

Eonen verstrijken:

Cactaceaceen
Birgusceen
Limulidaceen.

De kleuren trekken weg uit dingen
vloeien smeltend samen in het zand
dat steeds harder
steeds gesatureerder straalt

en alle markten
die in de loop der eeuwen
lukraak op elkaar zijn gestapeld

storten één voor één in

tot de hele
bouwvallige structuur
naar beneden komt

en een harde, geometrische plas vormt
waarin de dieren zwemmen
tussen het dode geld.

Overal ontstaan nieuwe organismen
in een explosie van leven
zoals in het Cambrium.

Op een oeroud eiland
van plastic
vermenigvuldigen polystyreenmossen zich
in de schaduw
van oude, eerbiedwaardige polyesterbomen.

Hier leven de geesten van de mensen.

Close

IX. Deep Time

In the nuclear twilight
the animals, the plants
and the minerals of the earth
have acquired unparalleled powers
many times greater than those of humans.

Eras elapse:

Cactaceacene
Birguscene
Limulidacene.

The colors bleed out of things
and glob together in the sand
which radiates with increasing intensity
and soaring saturation

and all the markets
that have piled up
haphazardly over the centuries

collapse one by one

until the whole
ramshackle structure
comes down

and forms a hard, geometric puddle
of dead currency
teeming with animals.

New organisms spring up everywhere
in an explosion of life
of Cambrian proportions.

On an ancient island
of plastic
polystyrene mosses multiply
in the shadow
of venerable, old polystyrene trees.

Here live the spirits of mankind.

IX. Deep Time

In the nuclear twilight
the animals, the plants
and the minerals of the earth
have acquired unparalleled powers
many times greater than those of humans.

Eras elapse:

Cactaceacene
Birguscene
Limulidacene.

The colors bleed out of things
and glob together in the sand
which radiates with increasing intensity
and soaring saturation

and all the markets
that have piled up
haphazardly over the centuries

collapse one by one

until the whole
ramshackle structure
comes down

and forms a hard, geometric puddle
of dead currency
teeming with animals.

New organisms spring up everywhere
in an explosion of life
of Cambrian proportions.

On an ancient island
of plastic
polystyrene mosses multiply
in the shadow
of venerable, old polystyrene trees.

Here live the spirits of mankind.

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