Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Willem van Toorn

I was trying to find you like this

I was trying to find you like this, it’s true.
And also a nameless nothing
had almost taken the form of something
inside me that wasn’t you,

at least not really, and but still
would have the sounds of your name
if it had speech. How

could I have dreamed that now,
before the window, you
would take precisely the shape
which fits in with the slip

you’re putting on, with the light
whose rays infallibly strike
every hair framing your face
which exists in me just the same.

Zeker heb ik jou zo gezocht.

Zeker heb ik jou zo gezocht.
Had in mij een naamloos niets
al haast de vorm van iets
aangenomen dat nog

niet werkelijk jij was maar toch
de klanken van jouw naam
zou hebben als het een taal had.

Hoe had ik kunnen vermoeden
dat je nu voor het raam
exact de gedaante zou aan-
nemen die gepaard gaat

met het hemd dat je aantrekt, het licht
dat feilloos iedere haar
aanraakt om je gezicht
zoals het ook in mij bestaat.
Close

I was trying to find you like this

I was trying to find you like this, it’s true.
And also a nameless nothing
had almost taken the form of something
inside me that wasn’t you,

at least not really, and but still
would have the sounds of your name
if it had speech. How

could I have dreamed that now,
before the window, you
would take precisely the shape
which fits in with the slip

you’re putting on, with the light
whose rays infallibly strike
every hair framing your face
which exists in me just the same.

I was trying to find you like this

I was trying to find you like this, it’s true.
And also a nameless nothing
had almost taken the form of something
inside me that wasn’t you,

at least not really, and but still
would have the sounds of your name
if it had speech. How

could I have dreamed that now,
before the window, you
would take precisely the shape
which fits in with the slip

you’re putting on, with the light
whose rays infallibly strike
every hair framing your face
which exists in me just the same.
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