Poem
Paul Bogaert
QUIET
You never hesitate when you speakand you’re a spitting image when you’re silent
of somebody who just knows best.
But now a little vomit clings
like words still to your lips,
to your open mouth, you can’t make it
leak out, make it speak out.
You must learn to inhale slowly
when I kiss your moist lips,
your goose-flesh tongue.
The uvula needs perfume now:
you should put the atomizer aperture
inside your mouth and squeeze
and swallow, not choke.
© Translation: 2006, John Irons
STIL
STIL
Gij aarzelt niet als ge wat zegten gij lijkt sprekend als ge zwijgt
op iemand die het beter weet.
Maar nu er nog wat braaksel hangt
als woorden aan uw lippen,
aan uw open mond, nu krijgt
gij het niet uitgelekt, niet uitgelegd.
Trager moet gij leren inhaleren
als ik uw natte lippen kus,
uw tong van kippenvel.
De huig moet nu geparfumeerd:
gij moet de opening van de verstuiver
in de mondholte houden en drukken
en slikken, niet stikken.
© 1996, Paul Bogaert
From: WELCOME HYGIENE
Publisher: Meulenhoff / Manteau, Amsterdam
From: WELCOME HYGIENE
Publisher: Meulenhoff / Manteau, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Paul Bogaert
Close
QUIET
You never hesitate when you speakand you’re a spitting image when you’re silent
of somebody who just knows best.
But now a little vomit clings
like words still to your lips,
to your open mouth, you can’t make it
leak out, make it speak out.
You must learn to inhale slowly
when I kiss your moist lips,
your goose-flesh tongue.
The uvula needs perfume now:
you should put the atomizer aperture
inside your mouth and squeeze
and swallow, not choke.
© 2006, John Irons
From: WELCOME HYGIENE
From: WELCOME HYGIENE
QUIET
You never hesitate when you speakand you’re a spitting image when you’re silent
of somebody who just knows best.
But now a little vomit clings
like words still to your lips,
to your open mouth, you can’t make it
leak out, make it speak out.
You must learn to inhale slowly
when I kiss your moist lips,
your goose-flesh tongue.
The uvula needs perfume now:
you should put the atomizer aperture
inside your mouth and squeeze
and swallow, not choke.
© 2006, John Irons
Sponsors
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère