Poem
Karel van de Woestijne
Like the throbbing lightning-dash ...
Like the throbbing lightning-dash of engines
to which a human will has strapped itself,
seeking to penetrate the unfathomable void
to where it pierces the gaze of God’s eye;
no, but like light in light: like to a candle
so meagre that the sun swallows it quite
from early green to final purple glow,
but which knows that its smallness cannot be snuffed out;
no, but like carp which in the densest ooze
gulp in some life, until Death finds them out
who only then through rags of mother-of-pearl
lifts their blond bellies to the blowing light;
but no, oh no: like earth and like metal,
condensed by pressure and suction of the universe,
are inaccessible and secret rays
gathered together in one crystal tear;
no, but dead flesh, dissolved in sluggish streams
or richly blooming in a feast for worms;
no, just that flesh, that flesh and wretched oozing,
and the lowly beast that on the great beast dances;
no, no, oh God (I know not how to say;
I know not, God, I know not, but I say:
God);
like the . . .
like . . .
© Translation: 2002, Tanis Guest
From: The Low Countries 10
Publisher: Ons Erfdeel, Rekkem, 2002
From: The Low Countries 10
Publisher: Ons Erfdeel, Rekkem, 2002
Gelijk het gonzend bliksmen van motoren,
Gelijk het gonzend bliksmen van motoren,
waaraan een menschen-wil zich-zelven riemt,
het ondoorgrondlijk-ijle wil doorboren
tot waar \'t den blik van Godes oog doorpriemt;
neen, gelijk licht in licht: gelijk een kaarse
zóo karig, dat de zonne haar doorvreet
van \'t vroege groenen tot het late paarsen,
maar die haar kleinheid onverdoofbaar weet;
neen, gelijk karpers die ter dikste drabben
wat leven gapen, tot de Dood ze treft
die dán eerst, door de peerlemoeren schabben
hun blonden buik naar \'t waaiend lichten heft;
maar neen, maar neen: \'lijk aarde en \'lijk metalen,
verdicht bij dringe\' en zuigen van \'t heelal,
worden verhole\' en ongenaakb\'re stralen
vergaderd in èen trane van krystal;
neen, dood stuk vleesch, vervloeid in logge beken
of weeldrig bloeiend in een wormen-feest;
neen, slechts dat vleesch, dat vleesch en arrem leken,
en \'t lage beest dat danst op \'t hooge beest;
neen, neen, o God (ik weet niet hoe te zeggen;
ik weet niet, God, ik weet niet, maar ik zeg:
God);
gelijk de . . .
gelijk . . .
© 1926, Karel van de Woestijne
From: God aan zee, Verzameld werk
Publisher: Lannoo, Tielt
From: God aan zee, Verzameld werk
Publisher: Lannoo, Tielt
Poems
Poems of Karel van de Woestijne
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Like the throbbing lightning-dash ...
Like the throbbing lightning-dash of engines
to which a human will has strapped itself,
seeking to penetrate the unfathomable void
to where it pierces the gaze of God’s eye;
no, but like light in light: like to a candle
so meagre that the sun swallows it quite
from early green to final purple glow,
but which knows that its smallness cannot be snuffed out;
no, but like carp which in the densest ooze
gulp in some life, until Death finds them out
who only then through rags of mother-of-pearl
lifts their blond bellies to the blowing light;
but no, oh no: like earth and like metal,
condensed by pressure and suction of the universe,
are inaccessible and secret rays
gathered together in one crystal tear;
no, but dead flesh, dissolved in sluggish streams
or richly blooming in a feast for worms;
no, just that flesh, that flesh and wretched oozing,
and the lowly beast that on the great beast dances;
no, no, oh God (I know not how to say;
I know not, God, I know not, but I say:
God);
like the . . .
like . . .
© 2002, Tanis Guest
From: The Low Countries 10
Publisher: 2002, Ons Erfdeel, Rekkem
From: The Low Countries 10
Publisher: 2002, Ons Erfdeel, Rekkem
Like the throbbing lightning-dash ...
Like the throbbing lightning-dash of engines
to which a human will has strapped itself,
seeking to penetrate the unfathomable void
to where it pierces the gaze of God’s eye;
no, but like light in light: like to a candle
so meagre that the sun swallows it quite
from early green to final purple glow,
but which knows that its smallness cannot be snuffed out;
no, but like carp which in the densest ooze
gulp in some life, until Death finds them out
who only then through rags of mother-of-pearl
lifts their blond bellies to the blowing light;
but no, oh no: like earth and like metal,
condensed by pressure and suction of the universe,
are inaccessible and secret rays
gathered together in one crystal tear;
no, but dead flesh, dissolved in sluggish streams
or richly blooming in a feast for worms;
no, just that flesh, that flesh and wretched oozing,
and the lowly beast that on the great beast dances;
no, no, oh God (I know not how to say;
I know not, God, I know not, but I say:
God);
like the . . .
like . . .
© 2002, Tanis Guest
From: The Low Countries 10
Publisher: 2002, Ons Erfdeel, Rekkem
From: The Low Countries 10
Publisher: 2002, Ons Erfdeel, Rekkem
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