Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Tonnus Oosterhoff

silly together

What do you want me to write about
Ask it today


Stand hunched + crouch by a mouse, dead.
gnawed in the neck by four beetles,
orange compass points, very, very softly whirring.
a constantly repeated not naming


'Helicopter.' 'Yes, helicopter.'
Not at all; the reverse. 'Hands off, dirty old man.'
Now my boy lies beside me in the heather
And points out what he sees in the clouds


And so on with St. Andrew's crosses, beehives, crossing cauliflowering
                                                       clouds
with a Union bike, child at the front.
The crossing is sensitive. 'Bumpety-bump.'
'Yes, isn't it? Bumpety-bump. Soft tyres.'


A bee whizzes past in the wind.
A blackcap talks loud in the bushes,
senseless on the wind branch.


like glimmerings fade
'Bumpety-bump, isn't it, Daddy?' 'What?'
'Helicopter.' 'Yes.'


Silly together is being silly together
silly together.


SONG

het dwaze bijeen

het dwaze bijeen

Waarover wil je dat ik schrijf
Vraag het vandaag


Gebukt staan + hurken bij een muis, dood,
in de nek gevreten door vier kevers,
oranje windstreken, zeer, zeer zacht snorrend.
een steeds herhaald niet noemen


\'Helikopter.\' \'Ja, helikopter.\'
Helemaal niet; het omgekeerde. \'Afblijven viezerd.\'
Nu ligt mijn jongen naast me in de heide
En wijst me wat hij in de wolken ziet


Een verder met andreaskruizen, bijenkorven, bloemkolende
                                       wolken
kruisen met een Unionfiets, kind voorop.
De oversteek is gevoelig. \'Hoppelepop.\'
\'Ja hè? Hoppelepop. Zachte banden.\'


Een bij stuift voorbij in de wind langs.
Een zwartkop praat hard in de struiken,
zinsarm op de waaitak.


als glinsteringen henen
\'Hoppelepop, hè pappa?\' \'Wat?\'
\'Helikopter.\' \'Ja.\'


Het dwaze bijeen is het dwaze bijeen
is het dwaze bijeen zijn.


LIED
Close

silly together

What do you want me to write about
Ask it today


Stand hunched + crouch by a mouse, dead.
gnawed in the neck by four beetles,
orange compass points, very, very softly whirring.
a constantly repeated not naming


'Helicopter.' 'Yes, helicopter.'
Not at all; the reverse. 'Hands off, dirty old man.'
Now my boy lies beside me in the heather
And points out what he sees in the clouds


And so on with St. Andrew's crosses, beehives, crossing cauliflowering
                                                       clouds
with a Union bike, child at the front.
The crossing is sensitive. 'Bumpety-bump.'
'Yes, isn't it? Bumpety-bump. Soft tyres.'


A bee whizzes past in the wind.
A blackcap talks loud in the bushes,
senseless on the wind branch.


like glimmerings fade
'Bumpety-bump, isn't it, Daddy?' 'What?'
'Helicopter.' 'Yes.'


Silly together is being silly together
silly together.


SONG

silly together

What do you want me to write about
Ask it today


Stand hunched + crouch by a mouse, dead.
gnawed in the neck by four beetles,
orange compass points, very, very softly whirring.
a constantly repeated not naming


'Helicopter.' 'Yes, helicopter.'
Not at all; the reverse. 'Hands off, dirty old man.'
Now my boy lies beside me in the heather
And points out what he sees in the clouds


And so on with St. Andrew's crosses, beehives, crossing cauliflowering
                                                       clouds
with a Union bike, child at the front.
The crossing is sensitive. 'Bumpety-bump.'
'Yes, isn't it? Bumpety-bump. Soft tyres.'


A bee whizzes past in the wind.
A blackcap talks loud in the bushes,
senseless on the wind branch.


like glimmerings fade
'Bumpety-bump, isn't it, Daddy?' 'What?'
'Helicopter.' 'Yes.'


Silly together is being silly together
silly together.


SONG
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
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