Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Tonnus Oosterhoff

The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light

The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light
between giant November clouds,
thus.
Metal, stone, glass, all that bears, protects, lets through, assigns
harsh angles and reflections to floor and tiled walls.


Those standing upright on the platforms - The travellers? That sounds
like flesh-coloured stockings. Ouwens says fringes of reeds. -
leaning back or else shifting position, at once
fall upside down onto needles that spring from the ground
of power, delight and fathomless despair.


Feeling, awareness do not well from within.
People are strung together on platforms.
Where one is one must
           bear what one has or is.
The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light.

Heel het station van Utrecht valt in het licht

Heel het station van Utrecht valt in het licht
tussen reuzen van novemberwolken,
zo.
Metaal, steen, glas, al wat draagt, beschermt, doorlaat, wijst
schelhoeken en afstralen toe aan vloer en tegelwanden.


De rechtop aanwezigen op de perrons - De reizigers? Dat klinkt
naar kousen in huidkleur. Ouwens zegt rietkragen. -
in hun rug leunend of zich juist wat verschikkend, vallen
meteen omgekeerd in uit de grond schietende naalden
van kracht geluk afgronddiepe wanhoop.


Gevoel, besef wellen uit geen innerlijk op.
Mensen worden aan perrons geregen.
Waar men staat heeft men,
       wat men heeft (is) te dragen.
Heel het station in Utrecht valt in het licht
Close

The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light

The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light
between giant November clouds,
thus.
Metal, stone, glass, all that bears, protects, lets through, assigns
harsh angles and reflections to floor and tiled walls.


Those standing upright on the platforms - The travellers? That sounds
like flesh-coloured stockings. Ouwens says fringes of reeds. -
leaning back or else shifting position, at once
fall upside down onto needles that spring from the ground
of power, delight and fathomless despair.


Feeling, awareness do not well from within.
People are strung together on platforms.
Where one is one must
           bear what one has or is.
The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light.

The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light

The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light
between giant November clouds,
thus.
Metal, stone, glass, all that bears, protects, lets through, assigns
harsh angles and reflections to floor and tiled walls.


Those standing upright on the platforms - The travellers? That sounds
like flesh-coloured stockings. Ouwens says fringes of reeds. -
leaning back or else shifting position, at once
fall upside down onto needles that spring from the ground
of power, delight and fathomless despair.


Feeling, awareness do not well from within.
People are strung together on platforms.
Where one is one must
           bear what one has or is.
The whole of Utrecht station falls into the light.
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