Poem
Vahni Capildeo
Of the same metal (After "The Wife\'s Lament")
Van hetzelfde metaal (Naar "The Wife’s Lament")
Hoor je? Ze is weer vertrokken.Een ellende.
Zeg Ik ben er ook geweest?
Een oceaan
kostte langer in die dagen
betekende de oversteek,
wat aan boord mocht was anders
gillen bij vleugelkanteling
zou niet tot schieten leiden slechts
verbazing zuiver
tegen de prijs van onzichtbaar CO2 ongekend
terdege ongemeten
het opkomen en zinken van merkwaardigheden
onderzee denk ik
sinds ik ben gevangen
stralend zoals die nutteloos
geëvolueerde onaanpasbare klem
in de buis
rillend van het kruisvuur
die familie.
Elke nieuwkomer sneed nieuwe
kanalen open voor twist en verdriet.
Als een tolk
maakte hij dat hij wegkwam.
Droogte stampte door de tuinen
De ene dag
welriekend dankbaar
horend bij huizen.
De volgende dag
neergeworpen op
de hardheid van de bergen
vuren en doorns wie zou daar
een deur in zetten? houdbare
goederen versteken binden mompelen
vastsnoeren etiketteren ten slotte
ineen duiken
ver beneden waarneming of het risico op nieuws
zonder licht
maar niet buiten bereik van warmte?
Moet je daarom lachen?
Omdat jouw lakens koeler zijn
je er zelfs voor kiest ze zo te houden?
Niet geschroeid door dromen
terwijl je ieder uur verstrijken ziet?
Mucho geluk.
Zo vaak terugkeren
om niet terug te keren.
Tot iets erger dan geen wending
lotsbestemming die
toeslaat even koud als ijzer
mogelijk even magnetisch
even waarschijnlijk gelijkwaardig bij fatale of banale toepassing
even meegaand in het gebruik
even zeker in het volgen
onder de gehoorgrens
van geritsel vijlgruis
dat zich verzamelt alsof het ontsnapt
zich schikt in divergenties
een veld van voorkeuren
dat leidt
net als wij of niet
tot een altijd.
© Vertaling: 2019, Han van der Vegt
Of the same metal (After "The Wife\'s Lament")
You hear? She’s off again.A misery.
Say I’ve been there too?
An ocean
asked longer in those days
meant the crossing,
what could be on board was different
screaming at wingtilt
would not bring on the shooting just
surprise pure
costing invisible carbon unreckoned
deeply unmeasured
the clamber and sinking of oddities
undersea I’m thinking
since I was caught
luminous as those uselessly
evolved unadaptable lodged
in the conduit
shivered with crossfire
that family.
Any newcomer cut out
new channels for strife and grief.
Like an interpreter
he cleared off.
Drought yomped the gardens.
One day
fragrant grateful
belonging to houses.
Next day
thrown down
the hardness of mountains
fires and thorns who’d put
a door in that? stow away
longlife goods binding muttering
lashing fast labelling finally
cowering
way beneath notice or the risk of news
without light
yet not out of reach of heat?
This makes you smile?
For your sheets are cooler
indeed you choose to keep them so?
Not singed by dreams
while seeing off each hour?
Lucky for true.
So often to turn back
not to turn back.
Till something worse than no change
chance that
strikes as cold as iron
as potentially magnetic
as likely to be equal in lethal or trivial use
as kind to handle
as sure to follow
below hearing level
susurration filings
collecting as if escaping
patterning obliquities
a field of likes
brings about
like us or not
an always.
© 2013, Vahni Capildeo
From: Utter
Publisher: Peepal Tree Press, Leed
From: Utter
Publisher: Peepal Tree Press, Leed
Vahni Capildeo
(Trinidad and Tobago, 1973)
Vahni Capildeo is among the most respected and loved poets writing in the UK today. Opening any of their many volumes will demonstrate why, but no single collection shows the huge breadth of their range – for Capildeo’s reputation is based on ceaseless innovation and exploration. Their first book, No Traveller Returns (Salt Publishing), appeared in 2003 and the latest, Skin Can Hold, will be pu...
Poems
Poems of Vahni Capildeo
Close
Of the same metal (After "The Wife\'s Lament")
You hear? She’s off again.A misery.
Say I’ve been there too?
An ocean
asked longer in those days
meant the crossing,
what could be on board was different
screaming at wingtilt
would not bring on the shooting just
surprise pure
costing invisible carbon unreckoned
deeply unmeasured
the clamber and sinking of oddities
undersea I’m thinking
since I was caught
luminous as those uselessly
evolved unadaptable lodged
in the conduit
shivered with crossfire
that family.
Any newcomer cut out
new channels for strife and grief.
Like an interpreter
he cleared off.
Drought yomped the gardens.
One day
fragrant grateful
belonging to houses.
Next day
thrown down
the hardness of mountains
fires and thorns who’d put
a door in that? stow away
longlife goods binding muttering
lashing fast labelling finally
cowering
way beneath notice or the risk of news
without light
yet not out of reach of heat?
This makes you smile?
For your sheets are cooler
indeed you choose to keep them so?
Not singed by dreams
while seeing off each hour?
Lucky for true.
So often to turn back
not to turn back.
Till something worse than no change
chance that
strikes as cold as iron
as potentially magnetic
as likely to be equal in lethal or trivial use
as kind to handle
as sure to follow
below hearing level
susurration filings
collecting as if escaping
patterning obliquities
a field of likes
brings about
like us or not
an always.
From: Utter
Of the same metal (After "The Wife\'s Lament")
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