Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Eddy Van Vliet

Death

Death. Don’t be afraid. Do not dither
before my door. Come on in.
Read my books. You are part of
nine out of ten. I know about you.

Do not fool me with afflictions
with names nobody dares to mention.
Don’t put me to bed among dribbling
children who know not what they say, of age.
Do not shake money out of my pocket
for pointless hours in classy clinics.

Wipe your feet and make yourself at home.

Dood

Dood

Dood. Heb geen angst. Talm niet
voor mijn deur. Kom binnen.
Lees mijn boeken. In negen van de tien
kom je voor. Je bent geen onbekende.

Hou mij niet voor de gek met kwalen
waarvan niemand de namen durft te noemen.
Leg mij niet in een bed tussen kwijlende
kinderen die van ouderdom niet weten wat ze zeggen.
Klop mij geen geld uit de zak
voor nutteloze uren in chique klinieken.

Veeg je voeten en wees welkom.
Close

Death

Death. Don’t be afraid. Do not dither
before my door. Come on in.
Read my books. You are part of
nine out of ten. I know about you.

Do not fool me with afflictions
with names nobody dares to mention.
Don’t put me to bed among dribbling
children who know not what they say, of age.
Do not shake money out of my pocket
for pointless hours in classy clinics.

Wipe your feet and make yourself at home.

Death

Death. Don’t be afraid. Do not dither
before my door. Come on in.
Read my books. You are part of
nine out of ten. I know about you.

Do not fool me with afflictions
with names nobody dares to mention.
Don’t put me to bed among dribbling
children who know not what they say, of age.
Do not shake money out of my pocket
for pointless hours in classy clinics.

Wipe your feet and make yourself at home.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère