Poem
Judith Herzberg
SONG
Don’t lie to me pleaseabout anything big, about anything
else. I’d rather know what was destroyed
than have you lie
because that’s more destructive.
Don’t lie about love,
something you feel or something you’d
like to feel. I’d rather
be sad than have you lie
because that’s sadder.
Don’t lie about danger
because I know your fears
and if I don’t trust what I know
you’ll be a stranger
and that’s more dangerous.
Don’t lie to me about sickness,
I’d rather look into that pit
than lose myself in one
of your sweet placations
because I’d lose myself more.
Don’t lie to me about dying
because as long as we’re here
I find that blocked
unsharing of thoughts
worse and much more dead.
© Translation: 1998, Shirley Kaufman and Judith Herzberg
From: But What: Selected Poems
Publisher: Oberlin College Press, , 1998
From: But What: Selected Poems
Publisher: Oberlin College Press, , 1998
LIEDJE
LIEDJE
Lieg alsjeblieft niet tegen meniet over iets groots niet over iets
anders. Liever hoor ik het
vernietigendste dan dat je liegt
want dat is nog vernietigender.
Lieg niet over liefde
iets dat je voelt of iets dat je
zou willen voelen. Liever word ik
bedroefd dan dat je liegt
want dat is nog bedroevender.
Lieg niet tegen me over gevaar
want ik voel toch je angst
en wat ik gewaar word is waar
of ik ken je niet en dat
is nog gevaarlijker.
Lieg niet tegen me over ziekte
liever kijk ik die diepte in
dan dat ik mij verlies in één
van jouw lieve verzinsels
want daarmee verlies ik me dieper.
Lieg niet tegen me over sterven
want zo lang we er nog zijn
vind ik dat toegangsloze
niet mededelen wat je denkt
erger en zo veel doder.
© 1984, Judith Herzberg
From: Dagrest
Publisher: G.A. van Oorschot, Amsterdam
From: Dagrest
Publisher: G.A. van Oorschot, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Judith Herzberg
Close
SONG
Don’t lie to me pleaseabout anything big, about anything
else. I’d rather know what was destroyed
than have you lie
because that’s more destructive.
Don’t lie about love,
something you feel or something you’d
like to feel. I’d rather
be sad than have you lie
because that’s sadder.
Don’t lie about danger
because I know your fears
and if I don’t trust what I know
you’ll be a stranger
and that’s more dangerous.
Don’t lie to me about sickness,
I’d rather look into that pit
than lose myself in one
of your sweet placations
because I’d lose myself more.
Don’t lie to me about dying
because as long as we’re here
I find that blocked
unsharing of thoughts
worse and much more dead.
© 1998, Shirley Kaufman and Judith Herzberg
From: But What: Selected Poems
Publisher: 1998, Oberlin College Press, Amsterdam
From: But What: Selected Poems
Publisher: 1998, Oberlin College Press, Amsterdam
SONG
Don’t lie to me pleaseabout anything big, about anything
else. I’d rather know what was destroyed
than have you lie
because that’s more destructive.
Don’t lie about love,
something you feel or something you’d
like to feel. I’d rather
be sad than have you lie
because that’s sadder.
Don’t lie about danger
because I know your fears
and if I don’t trust what I know
you’ll be a stranger
and that’s more dangerous.
Don’t lie to me about sickness,
I’d rather look into that pit
than lose myself in one
of your sweet placations
because I’d lose myself more.
Don’t lie to me about dying
because as long as we’re here
I find that blocked
unsharing of thoughts
worse and much more dead.
© 1998, Shirley Kaufman and Judith Herzberg
From: But What: Selected Poems
Publisher: 1998, Oberlin College Press,
From: But What: Selected Poems
Publisher: 1998, Oberlin College Press,
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère