Poem
Nachoem M. Wijnberg
SONG
I read life after lifeand when someone’s as old as I am
I hold my breath,
sometimes I look up when that was.
When I was younger
I sometimes skipped
where someone was a child,
I don’t know why.
What I want to have with me:
a book with enough to read in it;
when I’m old I won’t give it away,
I’ll sell it.
I also skip
when I get scared
that someone won’t change any more,
I only read how it ends.
What I want changes
from moment to moment,
even when I’ve had enough
I’m sad it’s over.
© Translation: 2007, David Colmer
LIEDJE
LIEDJE
Ik lees leven na levenen als iemand zo oud is als ik ben
houd ik mijn adem in,
soms zoek ik terug wanneer dat was.
Toen ik jonger was
sloeg ik soms over
waar iemand een kind was,
ik weet niet waarom.
Wat ik bij mij wil hebben:
een boek waarin genoeg te lezen is;
als ik oud ben geef ik het niet weg,
ik verkoop het.
Ik sla ook over
wanneer ik bang word
dat iemand niet meer verandert,
lees dan alleen hoe het afloopt.
Van moment naar moment
verandert mijn verlangen,
ook als ik er genoeg van heb
word ik bedroefd als het voorbij is.
© 2006, Nachoem M. Wijnberg
From: Liedjes
Publisher: Contact, Amsterdam
From: Liedjes
Publisher: Contact, Amsterdam
Poems
Poems of Nachoem M. Wijnberg
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SONG
I read life after lifeand when someone’s as old as I am
I hold my breath,
sometimes I look up when that was.
When I was younger
I sometimes skipped
where someone was a child,
I don’t know why.
What I want to have with me:
a book with enough to read in it;
when I’m old I won’t give it away,
I’ll sell it.
I also skip
when I get scared
that someone won’t change any more,
I only read how it ends.
What I want changes
from moment to moment,
even when I’ve had enough
I’m sad it’s over.
© 2007, David Colmer
From: Liedjes
From: Liedjes
SONG
I read life after lifeand when someone’s as old as I am
I hold my breath,
sometimes I look up when that was.
When I was younger
I sometimes skipped
where someone was a child,
I don’t know why.
What I want to have with me:
a book with enough to read in it;
when I’m old I won’t give it away,
I’ll sell it.
I also skip
when I get scared
that someone won’t change any more,
I only read how it ends.
What I want changes
from moment to moment,
even when I’ve had enough
I’m sad it’s over.
© 2007, David Colmer
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