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    Eva Gerlach

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    CRUMBS

    Whatever’s whole we fail to see, it is
    too big for us, non-fitting, it won’t go
    inside our head

    but what is chopped up, frittered, pounded fine,
    crumbs, puréed, blown to dust, disintegrating –

    all that is split up sticks in us for good.
    © Translation: 2006, John Irons

    Kruim

    Kruim

    Wat heel is, kunnen wij niet zien, het is
    te groot, het past ons niet en niet
    in onze hoofden

    maar wat aan mootjes, haksel is, verkiezeld,
    kruim, gepureerd, verstoven of ontbonden –

    al het verdeelde zit voorgoed in ons.
    © 1998, Eva Gerlach
    From: Niets bestendiger
    Publisher: De Arbeiderspers, Amsterdam
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    Poems of Eva Gerlach
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    CRUMBS

    Whatever’s whole we fail to see, it is
    too big for us, non-fitting, it won’t go
    inside our head

    but what is chopped up, frittered, pounded fine,
    crumbs, puréed, blown to dust, disintegrating –

    all that is split up sticks in us for good.
    © 2006, John Irons
    From: Niets bestendiger

    CRUMBS

    Whatever’s whole we fail to see, it is
    too big for us, non-fitting, it won’t go
    inside our head

    but what is chopped up, frittered, pounded fine,
    crumbs, puréed, blown to dust, disintegrating –

    all that is split up sticks in us for good.
    © 2006, John Irons
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