Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Sargon Boulus

A MAN FELL ON HIS KNEES

A man fell to his knees
      In the midst of a square

— Was he too tired
      To stand

— Had he reached the line
      Where the waves of spent lives break

— Had he been hit with hammers of grief
      By whirlwinds of pain

— Was it an adversity not to be borne

— Was it the angel of death
With his scythe when it was time to go

— Was it Satan or God

Suddenly, in the midst of a square
      A man fell to his knees like a horse
            the knees cut off with a scythe.

DE VAL

Midden op het plein
viel een man op zijn knieën

− Was hij te moe
om te staan?

− Was hij aan de grens gekomen,
                    waar golven breken?

− Had verdriet hem neergeslagen?
                    of een pijnaanval?

− Of een slag die geen mens doorstaat.

− Of de doodsengel
                   met zijn zeis toen de tijd daar was.

− Of God of Satan.

Midden op het plein
       viel plotseling een man als een paard
                   met afgemaaide knieën.

Close

A MAN FELL ON HIS KNEES

A man fell to his knees
      In the midst of a square

— Was he too tired
      To stand

— Had he reached the line
      Where the waves of spent lives break

— Had he been hit with hammers of grief
      By whirlwinds of pain

— Was it an adversity not to be borne

— Was it the angel of death
With his scythe when it was time to go

— Was it Satan or God

Suddenly, in the midst of a square
      A man fell to his knees like a horse
            the knees cut off with a scythe.

A MAN FELL ON HIS KNEES

A man fell to his knees
      In the midst of a square

— Was he too tired
      To stand

— Had he reached the line
      Where the waves of spent lives break

— Had he been hit with hammers of grief
      By whirlwinds of pain

— Was it an adversity not to be borne

— Was it the angel of death
With his scythe when it was time to go

— Was it Satan or God

Suddenly, in the midst of a square
      A man fell to his knees like a horse
            the knees cut off with a scythe.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère