Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Eva Gerlach

SOMEONE, 4

Someone takes your life in his hands, so much so
that it no longer disturbs you, that it runs off you
like water from one who has been washed and it lies
at your feet, you walk away from it and someone begins to 

allow you to see his body, first makes you blind
so that you forget straight away what you see but keep on
looking and he slowly emerges and takes
place in you, replacing you 

so slowly by himself that you cannot recall
if it occurs or not that your eyes become what
his are that your fingerprint sketches the shape of the world 

and someone is multiplying the direction of what you
thus are, his body for good, and you bend down you stretch out
to be just where you are and it hits you: 

there’s not a spot where you are not

IEMAND, 4

IEMAND, 4

Iemand neemt je leven zo in zijn handen
dat het je niet meer stoort, dat het van je afvalt
als water van wie gewassen is en het ligt
aan je voeten, je loopt eruit weg en iemand begint je

zijn lichaam te laten zien, eerst maakt hij je blind
zodat je onmiddellijk alles vergeet wat je ziet
maar je blijft kijken en langzaam ontstaat hij en neemt
plaats in je en hij vervangt je

 

zo langzaam door zichzelf dat je niet onthoudt
of het gebeurt of niet dat je ogen de zijne
dat het patroon op je vingers de vorm van de wereld 

en iemand vermenigvuldigt de richting van wat je
dus bent, zijn lichaam voorgoed, en je buigt je je strekt je
om daar te zijn waar je bent en het overvalt je:

 

er is geen plek waar je niet bent

 

Close

SOMEONE, 4

Someone takes your life in his hands, so much so
that it no longer disturbs you, that it runs off you
like water from one who has been washed and it lies
at your feet, you walk away from it and someone begins to 

allow you to see his body, first makes you blind
so that you forget straight away what you see but keep on
looking and he slowly emerges and takes
place in you, replacing you 

so slowly by himself that you cannot recall
if it occurs or not that your eyes become what
his are that your fingerprint sketches the shape of the world 

and someone is multiplying the direction of what you
thus are, his body for good, and you bend down you stretch out
to be just where you are and it hits you: 

there’s not a spot where you are not

SOMEONE, 4

Someone takes your life in his hands, so much so
that it no longer disturbs you, that it runs off you
like water from one who has been washed and it lies
at your feet, you walk away from it and someone begins to 

allow you to see his body, first makes you blind
so that you forget straight away what you see but keep on
looking and he slowly emerges and takes
place in you, replacing you 

so slowly by himself that you cannot recall
if it occurs or not that your eyes become what
his are that your fingerprint sketches the shape of the world 

and someone is multiplying the direction of what you
thus are, his body for good, and you bend down you stretch out
to be just where you are and it hits you: 

there’s not a spot where you are not

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Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
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