Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Esther Jansma

Vacant

The manner is always different, a hand makes
a fist and falls, the cancer of moulds seeps
slowly out from the water, but afterwards
it\'s always the same that\'s missing: cohesion,

the shine of use. Here stands no wall
meaning a wall, no window is playing
at being a mirror, no corner is still straight.
Uselessness is the beauty of decay, and later

I, too, want to be like that, so naturally
overgrown by age, like grass,
sitting crooked in my chair
and being very good at that.

De manier is steeds anders, een vuist

De manier is steeds anders, een vuist
balt zich en valt, uit water lekt langzaam
de kanker van schimmels, maar daarna
is altijd hetzelfde weg: samenhang,

de glans van gebruik. Hier staat geen wand
zichzelf te betekenen, geen raam speelt
voor spiegel, geen hoek is nog recht.
Nutteloosheid is de schoonheid van verval en later

wil ik ook zo zijn, zo vanzelf
door leeftijd als gras overgroeid
scheef zitten in mijn stoel
en daar heel goed in zijn.
Close

Vacant

The manner is always different, a hand makes
a fist and falls, the cancer of moulds seeps
slowly out from the water, but afterwards
it\'s always the same that\'s missing: cohesion,

the shine of use. Here stands no wall
meaning a wall, no window is playing
at being a mirror, no corner is still straight.
Uselessness is the beauty of decay, and later

I, too, want to be like that, so naturally
overgrown by age, like grass,
sitting crooked in my chair
and being very good at that.

Vacant

The manner is always different, a hand makes
a fist and falls, the cancer of moulds seeps
slowly out from the water, but afterwards
it\'s always the same that\'s missing: cohesion,

the shine of use. Here stands no wall
meaning a wall, no window is playing
at being a mirror, no corner is still straight.
Uselessness is the beauty of decay, and later

I, too, want to be like that, so naturally
overgrown by age, like grass,
sitting crooked in my chair
and being very good at that.
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