Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Karen Press

Redistributing it

Redistributing it

Redistributing it

Water sloshes over into the new hollows
finding its level again
and the weight of it lies a little differently
over the earth.
Stolen air is swallowed now in different corridors,
the map of suffocation redraws itself.

The dogs track theft’s footprints steadfastly
through offices and parliaments.
These cupboards splintered by laws,
these gardens carried away as evidence.
Bring the food trucks and the milk trucks
to this side now.

Mass death has moved in here,
the groaning old woman in the child’s house,
and the child at the door looking out
with her wide clean eyes like empty bowls,
and the dogs moving past,
noses to the perfumed road.
Close

Redistributing it

Water sloshes over into the new hollows
finding its level again
and the weight of it lies a little differently
over the earth.
Stolen air is swallowed now in different corridors,
the map of suffocation redraws itself.

The dogs track theft’s footprints steadfastly
through offices and parliaments.
These cupboards splintered by laws,
these gardens carried away as evidence.
Bring the food trucks and the milk trucks
to this side now.

Mass death has moved in here,
the groaning old woman in the child’s house,
and the child at the door looking out
with her wide clean eyes like empty bowls,
and the dogs moving past,
noses to the perfumed road.

Redistributing it

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