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Poem

Armando

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EIGHT

The body scrapes the waves,
long-limbed, breathing,
too much too much to bear in a desperate state,
why eight times eight.

Why does a mouth have four apertures,
does a candle flame three short times,
two rather than six,
making a full eight robes.

© Translation: 2011, Susan Massotty
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011

ACHT

ACHT

Schuurt het lichaam langs de golven,
 langwerpig ademend,
 te veel te veel ten einde raad, 
waarom acht maal acht.

Waarom heeft een mond vier ingangen, 
vat een kaars voorlopig drie maal vlam, 
twee in plaats van zes, 
het worden acht gewaden.

© 2009, Armando
From: Gedichten 2009
Publisher: Uitgeverij Augustus, Amsterdam-Antwerpen

Armando

Armando

(The Netherlands, 1929 - 2018)

Armando has been publishing poetry since 1954. His Collected Poems were published in a considerable volume in 1999 and one might have thought that this part of his varied and versatile oeuvre was complete. After ten years of poetic silence, however, he has published a new collection, Gedichten 2009 (Poems 2009). Although he has received many honours and awards as an artist, including royal dist...

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WAKE UP

LIGHT

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EIGHT

SOURCE

SEEN

SURRENDER

DAY AND NIGHT

BEAUTIFUL

UNSTEADY

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EIGHT

The body scrapes the waves,
long-limbed, breathing,
too much too much to bear in a desperate state,
why eight times eight.

Why does a mouth have four apertures,
does a candle flame three short times,
two rather than six,
making a full eight robes.

© 2011, Susan Massotty
From: Gedichten 2009
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW, Amsterdam-Antwerpen

EIGHT

The body scrapes the waves,
long-limbed, breathing,
too much too much to bear in a desperate state,
why eight times eight.

Why does a mouth have four apertures,
does a candle flame three short times,
two rather than six,
making a full eight robes.

© 2011, Susan Massotty
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,

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