Poem
Mustafa Stitou
FOREFATHERS, DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOURS
Some forefathers, we now know, dreamed Godand from this our world of finite things came forth.
It was they who once offered a child to something
all-powerful and invisible.
We also know that some dogs –
That some people begin to resemble their pets
after a while. Sometimes
it’s absurd to look at, mostly it goes unnoticed.
My downstairs neighbours, childless as it happens,
always hold my shopping and ask me in a hushed
voice whether they’re bothering me and if they can
help.
Other forefathers were at a loss what to do with death
or birth for that matter, in every new-born child they saw
a dead forefather. And the confused faith they founded
has been haunting our genes ever since;
my downstairs neighbours have confided to me they will
and wish to reincarnate as mild-mannered animals, as bees.
© Translation: 2004, Willem Groenewegen
Voorvaderen, onderburen
Voorvaderen, onderburen
Sommige voorvaderen, weten we, hebben God gedroomden daaruit is voortgekomen onze wereld van eindige dingen.
Zij waren het die ooit een kind offerden aan iets almachtigs
en onzichtbaars.
We weten ook dat sommige honden –
Dat sommige mensen gaan lijken op hun huisdier
na verloop van tijd. Soms
een grotesk gezicht, meestal blijft het onopgemerkt.
Mijn onderburen, een kinderloos stel toevallig, nemen
mijn boodschappen altijd aan en vragen mij fluisterend
of zij mij niet tot last zijn en soms ergens mee kunnen
helpen.
Andere voorvaderen wisten zich met de dood geen raad
en met geboorte evenmin,zij zagen in een pasgeboren kind
een gestorven voorvader. En het verwarde geloof dat
zij stichtten spookt sindsdien door onze genen;
mijn onderburen hebben mij toevertrouwd te zullen en willen
reïncarneren in een diersoort met zachte zeden, in bijen.
© 2003, Mustafa Stitou
From: Varkensroze ansichten
Publisher: De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam
From: Varkensroze ansichten
Publisher: De Bezige Bij, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Mustafa Stitou
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FOREFATHERS, DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOURS
Some forefathers, we now know, dreamed Godand from this our world of finite things came forth.
It was they who once offered a child to something
all-powerful and invisible.
We also know that some dogs –
That some people begin to resemble their pets
after a while. Sometimes
it’s absurd to look at, mostly it goes unnoticed.
My downstairs neighbours, childless as it happens,
always hold my shopping and ask me in a hushed
voice whether they’re bothering me and if they can
help.
Other forefathers were at a loss what to do with death
or birth for that matter, in every new-born child they saw
a dead forefather. And the confused faith they founded
has been haunting our genes ever since;
my downstairs neighbours have confided to me they will
and wish to reincarnate as mild-mannered animals, as bees.
© 2004, Willem Groenewegen
From: Varkensroze ansichten
From: Varkensroze ansichten
FOREFATHERS, DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOURS
Some forefathers, we now know, dreamed Godand from this our world of finite things came forth.
It was they who once offered a child to something
all-powerful and invisible.
We also know that some dogs –
That some people begin to resemble their pets
after a while. Sometimes
it’s absurd to look at, mostly it goes unnoticed.
My downstairs neighbours, childless as it happens,
always hold my shopping and ask me in a hushed
voice whether they’re bothering me and if they can
help.
Other forefathers were at a loss what to do with death
or birth for that matter, in every new-born child they saw
a dead forefather. And the confused faith they founded
has been haunting our genes ever since;
my downstairs neighbours have confided to me they will
and wish to reincarnate as mild-mannered animals, as bees.
© 2004, Willem Groenewegen
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