Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gerrit Kouwenaar

1890: 27-29 july

It didn’t work, one walks the road back, running
down like a clock, and shall today lay



upon the bed what’s oozing, a straightjacket around
a bloodvessel, not much throbs, one had expected



it to liberate, cleanse, spirit
clarified in void, form of bread



but nothing, just that colour, red as a doornail, decay
that kept returning home, dead end



one leaves the room with oneself, one is
myself, above it crows, paint -

1890: 27-29 juli

1890: 27-29 juli

Mislukt, men loopt de weg terug, leeg
lopend als een klok, legt heden nog



wat afscheidt op het bed, een dwangbuis rond
een bloedvat, weinig  klopt, men had gedacht



dat het bevrijden zou, schoonmaken, geest
in leegte opgehelderd, vorm van brood



maar niets, alleen die kleur, morsrood, bederf
dat altijd thuiskwam bij zichzelf, dood spoor



men gaat de kamer uit met zich, men is
ikzelf, kraaien erboven, verf -
Close

1890: 27-29 july

It didn’t work, one walks the road back, running
down like a clock, and shall today lay



upon the bed what’s oozing, a straightjacket around
a bloodvessel, not much throbs, one had expected



it to liberate, cleanse, spirit
clarified in void, form of bread



but nothing, just that colour, red as a doornail, decay
that kept returning home, dead end



one leaves the room with oneself, one is
myself, above it crows, paint -

1890: 27-29 july

It didn’t work, one walks the road back, running
down like a clock, and shall today lay



upon the bed what’s oozing, a straightjacket around
a bloodvessel, not much throbs, one had expected



it to liberate, cleanse, spirit
clarified in void, form of bread



but nothing, just that colour, red as a doornail, decay
that kept returning home, dead end



one leaves the room with oneself, one is
myself, above it crows, paint -
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