Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nachoem M. Wijnberg

I KNOW

You want to go away.
Because they kill all the rabbits here.
But you’re not a rabbit.
Try explaining that to them.

It’s the rabbits that make it impossible.
No, it’s you.
Why me.
Why the rabbits.

If charged by a savage rabbit.
Act like you’re dead.
I know that, you know that.
But does the rabbit know it.

And then the sun stops shining.
After how long.
After four days.
Thank you, I thought for a moment you said three days.

Was that it or did it get dark.
What did you think I wanted.
The same story over and over.
I wouldn’t want anyone else in your place.

IK WEET HET

IK WEET HET

Je wilt hier weg.
Want hier maken ze alle konijnen dood.
Maar je bent toch geen konijn.
Probeer ze dat maar eens uit te leggen.

Vanwege de konijnen gaat het niet.
Nee, vanwege jou.
Waarom vanwege mij.
Waarom vanwege de konijnen.

Als een woest konijn op je af rent.
Doen alsof je dood bent.
Ik weet dat, jij weet dat.
Maar weet het konijn het ook.

Dan houdt de zon op met schijnen.
Na hoeveel tijd.
Na vier dagen.
Dank je, ik dacht even dat je zei dat het na drie dagen was.

Was het dat of werd het donker.
Wat dacht je dat ik wilde.
Telkens hetzelfde verhaal.
Ik zou je niet willen ruilen voor een ander.
Close

I KNOW

You want to go away.
Because they kill all the rabbits here.
But you’re not a rabbit.
Try explaining that to them.

It’s the rabbits that make it impossible.
No, it’s you.
Why me.
Why the rabbits.

If charged by a savage rabbit.
Act like you’re dead.
I know that, you know that.
But does the rabbit know it.

And then the sun stops shining.
After how long.
After four days.
Thank you, I thought for a moment you said three days.

Was that it or did it get dark.
What did you think I wanted.
The same story over and over.
I wouldn’t want anyone else in your place.

I KNOW

You want to go away.
Because they kill all the rabbits here.
But you’re not a rabbit.
Try explaining that to them.

It’s the rabbits that make it impossible.
No, it’s you.
Why me.
Why the rabbits.

If charged by a savage rabbit.
Act like you’re dead.
I know that, you know that.
But does the rabbit know it.

And then the sun stops shining.
After how long.
After four days.
Thank you, I thought for a moment you said three days.

Was that it or did it get dark.
What did you think I wanted.
The same story over and over.
I wouldn’t want anyone else in your place.
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