Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Martin Reints

hofvijfer by night

The water in the ornamental pond reflects
in ripples the lamplight in which the prime minister sits
and the old moon

and the clouds transfused with gloomy orange
rising as a haze out of everything around

the conversation that has brought you and me here
falls silent
and the noise of the traffic goes on:

a light but steady wind blowing through the trees
as if we were still standing by a lake in the dunes:

a limp applause that is echoed by the corps
as if gentlemen ushers still showed us to our audience

and in this silent pomp we gaze, and attempt
to imagine the expensive poverty of the state departments
out of the background.

HOFVIJVER BIJ AVOND

HOFVIJVER BIJ AVOND

Het water in de vijver weerspiegelt
in golven het lamplicht waar de minister-president in zit
en de oude maan

en de wolken waar het sombere oranje in blijft hangen
dat als een damp uit de hele omgeving komt

het gesprek dat u en mij hier heeft gebracht
valt stil
en het verkeer om ons heen is aan het ruisen:

een zwakke maar stage wind die door de bomen waait
alsof we nog aan een meer in de duinen stonden:

een slap applaus dat wordt weerkaatst door de coulissen
alsof we nog naar de garderobe van een schouwburg gingen

en in dit stille lawaai staren we, en proberen
de dure armoe van de ministeries uit de achtergrond
weg te denken.
Close

hofvijfer by night

The water in the ornamental pond reflects
in ripples the lamplight in which the prime minister sits
and the old moon

and the clouds transfused with gloomy orange
rising as a haze out of everything around

the conversation that has brought you and me here
falls silent
and the noise of the traffic goes on:

a light but steady wind blowing through the trees
as if we were still standing by a lake in the dunes:

a limp applause that is echoed by the corps
as if gentlemen ushers still showed us to our audience

and in this silent pomp we gaze, and attempt
to imagine the expensive poverty of the state departments
out of the background.

hofvijfer by night

The water in the ornamental pond reflects
in ripples the lamplight in which the prime minister sits
and the old moon

and the clouds transfused with gloomy orange
rising as a haze out of everything around

the conversation that has brought you and me here
falls silent
and the noise of the traffic goes on:

a light but steady wind blowing through the trees
as if we were still standing by a lake in the dunes:

a limp applause that is echoed by the corps
as if gentlemen ushers still showed us to our audience

and in this silent pomp we gaze, and attempt
to imagine the expensive poverty of the state departments
out of the background.
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