Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Alexis de Roode

The state of play

With T. things are now improving.
Glass objects are still shattering
in her eyes, but she is getting out of bed again.
B. can’t be reached on weekdays for the time being.
K. is allowed to see his children now: one at a time.
I. has finally done it.
P. is dead. L. too.
As for me – it’s not about me right now.
And society – they say there’s a crisis.
What a pity people never notice all those things that are doing well.
A lot of them are still trying to have children.
Granny Z. left the drunken party at one a.m.,
and cycled home, at the age of ninety.
Many free-minded people prepared fresh food today.
Behind millions of windows there is a warm bed with someone in it.
The barren fig plant has grown seven new leaves.

De stand van zaken

De stand van zaken

Met T. gaat het nu beter.
In haar ogen spat nog altijd glaswerk
uit elkaar, maar ze komt haar bed weer uit.
B. is voorlopig doordeweeks niet te bereiken.
K. mag zijn kinderen weer zien: eentje tegelijk.
I. heeft het eindelijk gedaan.
P. is dood. L. ook.
Ikzelf – het gaat hier even niet om mij.
En met de maatschappij – ze zeggen dat er een crisis is.
Ach, de mensen hebben geen oog voor alles wat goed gaat.
Nog velen proberen kinderen te krijgen.
Oma Z. stond om een uur 's nachts op van het dronken feest,
en ging te fiets naar huis, negentig jaar oud.
Veel verstandige mensen hebben vandaag vers eten bereid.
Achter miljoenen ramen is de warmte van een bed met iemand erin.
De kale ficus heeft zeven nieuwe blaadjes gekregen.
Close

The state of play

With T. things are now improving.
Glass objects are still shattering
in her eyes, but she is getting out of bed again.
B. can’t be reached on weekdays for the time being.
K. is allowed to see his children now: one at a time.
I. has finally done it.
P. is dead. L. too.
As for me – it’s not about me right now.
And society – they say there’s a crisis.
What a pity people never notice all those things that are doing well.
A lot of them are still trying to have children.
Granny Z. left the drunken party at one a.m.,
and cycled home, at the age of ninety.
Many free-minded people prepared fresh food today.
Behind millions of windows there is a warm bed with someone in it.
The barren fig plant has grown seven new leaves.

The state of play

With T. things are now improving.
Glass objects are still shattering
in her eyes, but she is getting out of bed again.
B. can’t be reached on weekdays for the time being.
K. is allowed to see his children now: one at a time.
I. has finally done it.
P. is dead. L. too.
As for me – it’s not about me right now.
And society – they say there’s a crisis.
What a pity people never notice all those things that are doing well.
A lot of them are still trying to have children.
Granny Z. left the drunken party at one a.m.,
and cycled home, at the age of ninety.
Many free-minded people prepared fresh food today.
Behind millions of windows there is a warm bed with someone in it.
The barren fig plant has grown seven new leaves.
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