Poem
Paul van Ostaijen
THE OLD MAN
An old man in the streethis simple tale to the old woman
it's nothing it sounds like a tenuous tragedy
his voice is white
it resembles a knife that's been whetted for so long
the steel has worn thin
This voice hangs outside him like an object
above his long black coat
The lean old man in his black coat
is like a black plant
At the sight fear rasps through your mouth
the first taste of a narcosis
© Translation: 1982, James Holmes
From: The First Book of Schmoll. Selected Poems
Publisher: Bridges, Amsterdam, 1982
From: The First Book of Schmoll. Selected Poems
Publisher: Bridges, Amsterdam, 1982
De Oude Man
De Oude Man
Een oud man in de straatzijn klein verhaal aan de oude vrouw
het is niets het klinkt als een ijl treurspel
zijn stem is wit
zij gelijkt een mes dat zo lang werd aangewet
tot het staal dun werd
Gelijk een voorwerp buiten hem hangt deze stem
boven de lange zwarte jas
De oude magere man in zijn zwarte jas
gelijkt een zwarte plant
Ziet gij dit snokt de angst door uw mond
het eerste smaken van een narkose
© 1928, Paul van Ostaijen
From: Verzamelde gedichten
Publisher: Bert Bakker, Amsterdam
From: Verzamelde gedichten
Publisher: Bert Bakker, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Paul van Ostaijen
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THE OLD MAN
An old man in the streethis simple tale to the old woman
it's nothing it sounds like a tenuous tragedy
his voice is white
it resembles a knife that's been whetted for so long
the steel has worn thin
This voice hangs outside him like an object
above his long black coat
The lean old man in his black coat
is like a black plant
At the sight fear rasps through your mouth
the first taste of a narcosis
© 1982, James Holmes
From: The First Book of Schmoll. Selected Poems
Publisher: 1982, Bridges, Amsterdam
From: The First Book of Schmoll. Selected Poems
Publisher: 1982, Bridges, Amsterdam
THE OLD MAN
An old man in the streethis simple tale to the old woman
it's nothing it sounds like a tenuous tragedy
his voice is white
it resembles a knife that's been whetted for so long
the steel has worn thin
This voice hangs outside him like an object
above his long black coat
The lean old man in his black coat
is like a black plant
At the sight fear rasps through your mouth
the first taste of a narcosis
© 1982, James Holmes
From: The First Book of Schmoll. Selected Poems
Publisher: 1982, Bridges, Amsterdam
From: The First Book of Schmoll. Selected Poems
Publisher: 1982, Bridges, Amsterdam
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