Simone Atangana Bekono
IT'S STILL JUST A ROOM, I
this is the wrong room
this isn't the place where it went down
let's go let's go this isn't the place I meant
too much sunlight the stale smell of fried food
too many plant cuttings too much stuff from full shelves and laughter
if it was here where it was
then I don't believe my memories
let'sgolet'sgo
let'sgolet'sgolet'sgo
this isn't the room
you know exactly what I mean
keepgoingkeepgoing follow the hall where the calf becomes the cow
where the cow slips through the widened crack
regret's slick cover
now I'm something old hunched over when I walk
but let's go
they think I'm crazy but look
this isn't the room
this isn't the spot
the room that proved to be a shallow stream
it didn't happen here
this isn't where she lost her head
Publisher: First publication on poetryinternational.com, , 2023
HET IS NOG STEEDS GEWOON EEN KAMER I
HET IS NOG STEEDS GEWOON EEN KAMER I
dit is de verkeerde kamer
dit is niet de plek waar het gebeurde
kom kom dit is niet de plek die ik bedoel
zoveel zonlicht geur van oud frituur
zoveel stekjes stof van bezette planken en gelach
als het hier was waar het leefde
dan geloof ik mijn geheugen niet
komkom
komkomkom
dit is niet de kamer
je weet heus wat ik bedoel
verderverder volg het kalf dat in de gang de koe wordt
en de koe die door een verwijdde kier glipt
glibberig van spijt
ik ben nu een oud iets en ik loop krom
maar kom
ze denken dat ik gek ben maar kijk
dit is niet de kamer
dit is niet de plek
de kamer die een ondiepe beek bleek
hier gebeurde het niet
dit is niet waar ze haar hoofd verloor
IT'S STILL JUST A ROOM, I
this is the wrong room
this isn't the place where it went down
let's go let's go this isn't the place I meant
too much sunlight the stale smell of fried food
too many plant cuttings too much stuff from full shelves and laughter
if it was here where it was
then I don't believe my memories
let'sgolet'sgo
let'sgolet'sgolet'sgo
this isn't the room
you know exactly what I mean
keepgoingkeepgoing follow the hall where the calf becomes the cow
where the cow slips through the widened crack
regret's slick cover
now I'm something old hunched over when I walk
but let's go
they think I'm crazy but look
this isn't the room
this isn't the spot
the room that proved to be a shallow stream
it didn't happen here
this isn't where she lost her head
Publisher: 2023, First publication on poetryinternational.com,
IT'S STILL JUST A ROOM, I
this is the wrong room
this isn't the place where it went down
let's go let's go this isn't the place I meant
too much sunlight the stale smell of fried food
too many plant cuttings too much stuff from full shelves and laughter
if it was here where it was
then I don't believe my memories
let'sgolet'sgo
let'sgolet'sgolet'sgo
this isn't the room
you know exactly what I mean
keepgoingkeepgoing follow the hall where the calf becomes the cow
where the cow slips through the widened crack
regret's slick cover
now I'm something old hunched over when I walk
but let's go
they think I'm crazy but look
this isn't the room
this isn't the spot
the room that proved to be a shallow stream
it didn't happen here
this isn't where she lost her head
Publisher: 2023, First publication on poetryinternational.com,