Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Szabolcs Várady

THE ENTRY INTO ADULTHOOD

You’re in pyjamas, wearing your winter coat,
you stand in an unfamiliar bathroom
that’s not just strange it’s like a catacomb.
The quirks of some dream have brought you here.
You suspect you had a past: something once had
A half- or third-share in the figure before you.
Some part was shared in any case. Love, of course.
Now that you’re here, why not wash? Stubborn flesh
yearns for its natural home but is beaten back.
Water is good for you. It’s true, you did not
imagine the entry into adulthood like this.
Nor do you accept it as conclusive
— oh no, not now, never as conclusive!
But this is not the place for bearing grudges.
Get a towel, wipe yourself, wait for it to be over.
Someone will eventually discover something:
observant rats may seize on your dusty flesh
or you may at last locate that hidden exit.

BEGIN VAN DE VOLWASSENHEID

Met je winterjas aan, daaronder echter
in pyjama, sta je in een vreemde badkamer, die
ook nog eens veel op een catacombe lijkt.
Hier bracht de willekeur van de droom je, hier ben je.
Vaag staat je een verleden bij: deze persoon
was ooit een deel van iets, voor de helft of een derde.
Iets was deel van hem. Ja natuurlijk, de liefde.
Nu je hier toch bent: tijd voor een wasbeurt. Het hardnekkige vlees
dat thuis wil komen, is teruggeslagen.
Water doet je goed. Al heb je je het begin
van de volwassenheid anders
voorgesteld. Je accepteert die ook niet
als definitief – dat niet, nee, nooit!
Maar schuimbekken is hier niet aan de orde.
Droog je af en kijk maar hoe het afloopt.
Opmerkzame ratten je bestofte vlees
of jij de verborgen uitgang –
iemand zal uiteindelijk iets vinden.

A FELNŐTTKOR KEZDETE

Télikabátban, alatta viszont
pizsama, állsz egy idegen fürdőszobában, amely
hozzá jócskán katakombaszerű.
Ide vetett az álom önkénye, itt vagy.
Rémlik, volt egy múltad: ez a személy
felében-harmadában része volt valaminek.
Valami az ő része volt. Persze, a szerelem.
Ha már itt vagy, tisztálkodj. A makacs hús
törekedése hazája felé – visszaverve.
A víz hasznodra válik. A felnőttkor
kezdetét, igaz, nem ilyennek
képzelted. El sem fogadod
véglegesnek – azt már nem, soha nem!
De acsarkodásnak itt helye nincs.
Törülközz meg, várd ki a végét.
Poros húsodat a figyelmes patkányok,
vagy te végül a rejtett kijáratot,
de valaki valamit megtalál majd.
Close

THE ENTRY INTO ADULTHOOD

You’re in pyjamas, wearing your winter coat,
you stand in an unfamiliar bathroom
that’s not just strange it’s like a catacomb.
The quirks of some dream have brought you here.
You suspect you had a past: something once had
A half- or third-share in the figure before you.
Some part was shared in any case. Love, of course.
Now that you’re here, why not wash? Stubborn flesh
yearns for its natural home but is beaten back.
Water is good for you. It’s true, you did not
imagine the entry into adulthood like this.
Nor do you accept it as conclusive
— oh no, not now, never as conclusive!
But this is not the place for bearing grudges.
Get a towel, wipe yourself, wait for it to be over.
Someone will eventually discover something:
observant rats may seize on your dusty flesh
or you may at last locate that hidden exit.

THE ENTRY INTO ADULTHOOD

You’re in pyjamas, wearing your winter coat,
you stand in an unfamiliar bathroom
that’s not just strange it’s like a catacomb.
The quirks of some dream have brought you here.
You suspect you had a past: something once had
A half- or third-share in the figure before you.
Some part was shared in any case. Love, of course.
Now that you’re here, why not wash? Stubborn flesh
yearns for its natural home but is beaten back.
Water is good for you. It’s true, you did not
imagine the entry into adulthood like this.
Nor do you accept it as conclusive
— oh no, not now, never as conclusive!
But this is not the place for bearing grudges.
Get a towel, wipe yourself, wait for it to be over.
Someone will eventually discover something:
observant rats may seize on your dusty flesh
or you may at last locate that hidden exit.
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
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère