Poem
Ramsey Nasr
TURN MY MOTHER
turn my mother into a luxuriant garden of snowcreamy-white jasmine and roses grow white
the fullest of sounds come deep from within
like fruit in the stone
turn my mother into chameleons two without eyes
green he gambled and stroked the chest
she’d curled towards him, deepest red
so something beautiful might arise
turn my mother into a cathedral of light in a box
in the morning lift up the wooden lid and listen
to the many-voiced mass that begins
a celebration of loss
turn my mother into the same girl but iron
raise her this time with more powerful blows
console her or teach her some smart magic spells
because in this body she’s dying
© Translation: 2004, David Colmer
MAAK MIJN MOEDER
MAAK MIJN MOEDER
maak van mijn moeder een sneeuwende tuin om te plantenwitte jasmijn en de theeroos wordt wit
voller geluid komt vanuit binnenkanten
zoals de vrucht in de pit
maak van mijn moeder twee kameleons zonder ogen
groen gokte hij en hij streelde haar buik
die zij dieprood naar hem toe had gebogen
waarna iets mooiers ontluikt
maak van mijn moeder een lichtkathedraal in een kistje
open het elleke ochtend en hoor
hoe zich daarbinnen een meerstemmig misje
opent om wat het verloor
maak van mijn moeder hetzelfde maar ijzeren meisje
breng haar met krachtige vuistslagen groot
breng haar wat troost of een slim toverwijsje
want in dit lijf gaat zij dood
© 2000, Ramsey Nasr
From: 27 gedichten & Geen lied
Publisher: Thomas Rap, Amsterdam
From: 27 gedichten & Geen lied
Publisher: Thomas Rap, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Ramsey Nasr
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TURN MY MOTHER
turn my mother into a luxuriant garden of snowcreamy-white jasmine and roses grow white
the fullest of sounds come deep from within
like fruit in the stone
turn my mother into chameleons two without eyes
green he gambled and stroked the chest
she’d curled towards him, deepest red
so something beautiful might arise
turn my mother into a cathedral of light in a box
in the morning lift up the wooden lid and listen
to the many-voiced mass that begins
a celebration of loss
turn my mother into the same girl but iron
raise her this time with more powerful blows
console her or teach her some smart magic spells
because in this body she’s dying
© 2004, David Colmer
From: 27 gedichten & Geen lied
From: 27 gedichten & Geen lied
TURN MY MOTHER
turn my mother into a luxuriant garden of snowcreamy-white jasmine and roses grow white
the fullest of sounds come deep from within
like fruit in the stone
turn my mother into chameleons two without eyes
green he gambled and stroked the chest
she’d curled towards him, deepest red
so something beautiful might arise
turn my mother into a cathedral of light in a box
in the morning lift up the wooden lid and listen
to the many-voiced mass that begins
a celebration of loss
turn my mother into the same girl but iron
raise her this time with more powerful blows
console her or teach her some smart magic spells
because in this body she’s dying
© 2004, David Colmer
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