Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Alfred Schaffer

an electric sheep

an electric sheep.
our encounter in the meadow.

a technical story in essence.
with soft backlighting,
go into the meadow, look to the right
and notice the electric sheep.

spotless
eccentric dramaturgy:
grass, wool, mains voltage.

in chapter three
our budding friendship
is swept under the carpet.

watch as a fish flaps around wildly
on the carpet gasping
until at a certain point
it completely stops flapping and gasping.

done with adventure.
done with transformation.
done with reunification.
done with the aftermath.
done with catharsis.

chapter after chapter after
chapter etcetera.

aristotle pacing on the top deck
of his brand new yacht.

to ruminate and ruminate again.
to ruminate warmth.

sleep well now.
sweet all’s well that ends well.

een elektrisch schaap

een elektrisch schaap.
onze ontmoeting in het weiland.

in wezen een technisch verhaal.
in zacht tegenlicht
het weiland betreden, naar rechts kijken
en het elektrische schaap opmerken.

zonder spatje
uitheemse dramaturgie:
gras, wol, netspanning.

in hoofdstuk drie
wordt onze kersverse vriendschap
onder het tapijt geveegd.

toezien hoe een vis op het vloerkleed
wild spartelt en hapt tot hij
vanaf een bepaald moment in de tijd
helemaal niet meer spartelt en hapt.

wég avontuur.
wég transformatie.
wég hereniging.
wég nasleep.
wég catharsis.

hoofdstuk na hoofdstuk na
hoofdstuk et cetera.

aristoteles die ijsbeert op het bovendek
van zijn splinternieuwe jacht.

herkauwen en nog eens herkauwen.
warmte herkauwen.

slaap zacht nu.  
lieve eind goed al goed.

Close

an electric sheep

an electric sheep.
our encounter in the meadow.

a technical story in essence.
with soft backlighting,
go into the meadow, look to the right
and notice the electric sheep.

spotless
eccentric dramaturgy:
grass, wool, mains voltage.

in chapter three
our budding friendship
is swept under the carpet.

watch as a fish flaps around wildly
on the carpet gasping
until at a certain point
it completely stops flapping and gasping.

done with adventure.
done with transformation.
done with reunification.
done with the aftermath.
done with catharsis.

chapter after chapter after
chapter etcetera.

aristotle pacing on the top deck
of his brand new yacht.

to ruminate and ruminate again.
to ruminate warmth.

sleep well now.
sweet all’s well that ends well.

an electric sheep

an electric sheep.
our encounter in the meadow.

a technical story in essence.
with soft backlighting,
go into the meadow, look to the right
and notice the electric sheep.

spotless
eccentric dramaturgy:
grass, wool, mains voltage.

in chapter three
our budding friendship
is swept under the carpet.

watch as a fish flaps around wildly
on the carpet gasping
until at a certain point
it completely stops flapping and gasping.

done with adventure.
done with transformation.
done with reunification.
done with the aftermath.
done with catharsis.

chapter after chapter after
chapter etcetera.

aristotle pacing on the top deck
of his brand new yacht.

to ruminate and ruminate again.
to ruminate warmth.

sleep well now.
sweet all’s well that ends well.

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