Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Elmar Kuiper

DOES THE SHOT STOP THE MAN WHO FALLS

Does the shot stop the man who falls
when the bullet hits his chest

does it wound itself?

Or does the bullet learn not
to fire at a man who clutches

his weeping chest because death
from a barrel extinguishes life.

Does the slug cry out murderer?

Does the bullet think of the man
as it whistles through the air
for even one living second.

Keart it skot de man dy’t falt

Keart it skot de man dy’t falt
as kûgel yn it boarst sjit

hy himsels ferwûnet?

Of leart de kûgel ôf priis
te sjitten op in man dy’t lûkt

yn it gûlende boarst omdat dea
út ’e loop libben ôfslút.

Ropt it lead moardman?

Betinkt dy kûgel fluitsjend
ûnderweis dy man
in libbene tel.
Close

DOES THE SHOT STOP THE MAN WHO FALLS

Does the shot stop the man who falls
when the bullet hits his chest

does it wound itself?

Or does the bullet learn not
to fire at a man who clutches

his weeping chest because death
from a barrel extinguishes life.

Does the slug cry out murderer?

Does the bullet think of the man
as it whistles through the air
for even one living second.

DOES THE SHOT STOP THE MAN WHO FALLS

Does the shot stop the man who falls
when the bullet hits his chest

does it wound itself?

Or does the bullet learn not
to fire at a man who clutches

his weeping chest because death
from a barrel extinguishes life.

Does the slug cry out murderer?

Does the bullet think of the man
as it whistles through the air
for even one living second.
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