Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jane Gibian

Above

Above

Above

From the skyscraper, looking down
on the backs of birds: we began
smelling the decline of winter
around then; in the vague flowery

perfume of no particular blossom
comes a prickling in the limbs
as if we were migratory animals,
the pull of an unwritten calendar

seizing the body, and you ached
to start the long journey anti-
clockwise around the globe,
the destination undecided.

We are above the birds circling
high over the city, light bouncing
off a plane’s innocent pale belly,
invincible at this height.
Close

Above

From the skyscraper, looking down
on the backs of birds: we began
smelling the decline of winter
around then; in the vague flowery

perfume of no particular blossom
comes a prickling in the limbs
as if we were migratory animals,
the pull of an unwritten calendar

seizing the body, and you ached
to start the long journey anti-
clockwise around the globe,
the destination undecided.

We are above the birds circling
high over the city, light bouncing
off a plane’s innocent pale belly,
invincible at this height.

Above

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
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