Poem
Gerrit Komrij
PANDORA
Calm down – it is over and done,Your body is shrouded in black –
From trash heaps there’ll soon have begun
To come smoke – just try to hold back.
You know (but for this you know nil)
Your hand does this writing – and what
Is written looks back without chill
Or heat. A vacuum-tight pot.
Nothing avails you, honesty
Or sham. Inside it nothing lies.
Admit this galling travesty –
I’m a poet, I fantasise.
© Translation: 2005, John Irons
PANDORA
PANDORA
Kalmeer – het is afgelopen,Het zwart heeft je lijf omhuld –
Straks stijgt uit de afvalhopen
De rook op – oefen geduld.
Je weet (het is al wat je weet)
Dat je hand dit schrijft – en wat
Op schrift staat kijkt koud noch heet
Terug. Een luchtledig vat.
Niets baat je, tussen eerlijkheid
En veinzerij. Niets zit er in.
Erken, terwijl je je verbijt –
Ik ben een dichter, ik verzin.
© 2004, Gerrit Komrij
From: Alle gedichten tot gisteren
Publisher: De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam
From: Alle gedichten tot gisteren
Publisher: De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Gerrit Komrij
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PANDORA
Calm down – it is over and done,Your body is shrouded in black –
From trash heaps there’ll soon have begun
To come smoke – just try to hold back.
You know (but for this you know nil)
Your hand does this writing – and what
Is written looks back without chill
Or heat. A vacuum-tight pot.
Nothing avails you, honesty
Or sham. Inside it nothing lies.
Admit this galling travesty –
I’m a poet, I fantasise.
© 2005, John Irons
From: Alle gedichten tot gisteren
From: Alle gedichten tot gisteren
PANDORA
Calm down – it is over and done,Your body is shrouded in black –
From trash heaps there’ll soon have begun
To come smoke – just try to hold back.
You know (but for this you know nil)
Your hand does this writing – and what
Is written looks back without chill
Or heat. A vacuum-tight pot.
Nothing avails you, honesty
Or sham. Inside it nothing lies.
Admit this galling travesty –
I’m a poet, I fantasise.
© 2005, John Irons
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