Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jan Baeke

from ‘I MADE HIM UP’, no. 4

On the road as always, read my hand
bought a canary
saw you.

Looked round out of faith.
Then let my voice fly, clapped after it
pointed so hard that everyone looked.

Now you and I are into other fabrications
we are getting
stranded in a secret.

Not here not in this room
not like this.
Infuriating words.

Not the answer of whatever canary
which is always less
and enough.

This is what the canary voices:
the sound of a room
with no one inside.

uit ‘IK HEB HEM BEDACHT’, nr. 4

uit ‘IK HEB HEM BEDACHT’, nr. 4

Op weg zoals altijd, mijn hand uitgelezen
een kanarie gekocht
jou gezien.

Uit geloof omgekeken.
Daarna mijn stem opgelaten, nageklapt
zo hard gewezen dat iedereen het zag.

Nu staan jij en ik in andere verzinsels
zijn we bezig
in een geheim vast te lopen.

Niet hier niet in deze kamer
niet op zo’n manier.
Gekmakende woorden.

Niet het antwoord van welke kanarie dan ook
wat altijd minder is
en genoeg.

Dit is wat de kanarie laat horen:
het geluid van een kamer
met niemand erin.
Close

from ‘I MADE HIM UP’, no. 4

On the road as always, read my hand
bought a canary
saw you.

Looked round out of faith.
Then let my voice fly, clapped after it
pointed so hard that everyone looked.

Now you and I are into other fabrications
we are getting
stranded in a secret.

Not here not in this room
not like this.
Infuriating words.

Not the answer of whatever canary
which is always less
and enough.

This is what the canary voices:
the sound of a room
with no one inside.

from ‘I MADE HIM UP’, no. 4

On the road as always, read my hand
bought a canary
saw you.

Looked round out of faith.
Then let my voice fly, clapped after it
pointed so hard that everyone looked.

Now you and I are into other fabrications
we are getting
stranded in a secret.

Not here not in this room
not like this.
Infuriating words.

Not the answer of whatever canary
which is always less
and enough.

This is what the canary voices:
the sound of a room
with no one inside.
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