Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Mark Boog

IT\'S ALL THERE, EVERYTHING

It’s all there, everything, but not wholeheartedly. It
apologises: every painter would have done this better.

To me, softy, to save the day.
It’s nice, everything! It has to be nice! But about my

chapping lips there’s a tic playing called a grin
that’s settling in – a tick on a dog, sickness of the chest.

Defoliate, tree, fall on the murky heads, heaven,
do something. Glory unto me. Dejection unto me.

One doesn’t actually relieve oneself and one contributes
to the imperfection of one’s own body and soul.

To no avail, of course.

HET IS ER WEL, ALLEMAAL

HET IS ER WEL, ALLEMAAL

Het is er wel, allemaal, maar niet van harte. Het
verontschuldigt zich: elke schilder had dit beter gedaan.

Aan mij, goedzak, om de boel te redden.
Het is mooi, alles! Het moet mooi zijn! Maar om mijn

barstende lippen speelt de zenuwtrek die glimlach heet
en vestigt zich – een teek op een hond, ziekte in de borst.

Ontblader, boom, val op de miezerige hoofden, hemel,
doe wat. Mij de glorie. Mij de mismoedigheid.

Men ontlast zich niet werkelijk en men draagt
aan de onvolkomenheid zijn eigen lichaam en geest bij. 

Tevergeefs, natuurlijk.
Close

IT\'S ALL THERE, EVERYTHING

It’s all there, everything, but not wholeheartedly. It
apologises: every painter would have done this better.

To me, softy, to save the day.
It’s nice, everything! It has to be nice! But about my

chapping lips there’s a tic playing called a grin
that’s settling in – a tick on a dog, sickness of the chest.

Defoliate, tree, fall on the murky heads, heaven,
do something. Glory unto me. Dejection unto me.

One doesn’t actually relieve oneself and one contributes
to the imperfection of one’s own body and soul.

To no avail, of course.

IT\'S ALL THERE, EVERYTHING

It’s all there, everything, but not wholeheartedly. It
apologises: every painter would have done this better.

To me, softy, to save the day.
It’s nice, everything! It has to be nice! But about my

chapping lips there’s a tic playing called a grin
that’s settling in – a tick on a dog, sickness of the chest.

Defoliate, tree, fall on the murky heads, heaven,
do something. Glory unto me. Dejection unto me.

One doesn’t actually relieve oneself and one contributes
to the imperfection of one’s own body and soul.

To no avail, of course.
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