Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Lucienne Stassaert

Lady Death

Lady Death
as ever at hand

breathing in and out
behind April\'s
net of mist

the first light
that has as yet
not laid aside its mourning

and which as yet
still lets you pass –

Lady Death
I\'m out on a spree with you

into the country
awake with
skewed growing pains

as buds lose their heart
full of dream-seeds
and the green force

reforms the dryness
of bramble and needlefurze –

Lady Death
I feel you deep down in my heart

murmuring like a fountain:
isn\'t this what\'s called
life after life?

Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.

Dame Dood

Dame Dood
u blijft maar op til

ademt in en uit
achter het nevelnet
van april

het eerste licht
dat de rouw
nog niet heeft afgelegd

en u nog steeds
voorbij laat gaan –

Dame Dood
ik ga aan de zwier met u

het land in
wakker van
schele groeipijn

als knoppen hun hart
vol droomzaadjes verliezen
en het groene geweld

het dorre ombuigt
in braam en stekelbrem –

Dame Dood
ik voel u in hart en nieren

bruisen als een fontein:
dit is toch het leven
na het leven niet?

Nog niet. Nog niet. Nog niet.
Close

Lady Death

Lady Death
as ever at hand

breathing in and out
behind April\'s
net of mist

the first light
that has as yet
not laid aside its mourning

and which as yet
still lets you pass –

Lady Death
I\'m out on a spree with you

into the country
awake with
skewed growing pains

as buds lose their heart
full of dream-seeds
and the green force

reforms the dryness
of bramble and needlefurze –

Lady Death
I feel you deep down in my heart

murmuring like a fountain:
isn\'t this what\'s called
life after life?

Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.

Lady Death

Lady Death
as ever at hand

breathing in and out
behind April\'s
net of mist

the first light
that has as yet
not laid aside its mourning

and which as yet
still lets you pass –

Lady Death
I\'m out on a spree with you

into the country
awake with
skewed growing pains

as buds lose their heart
full of dream-seeds
and the green force

reforms the dryness
of bramble and needlefurze –

Lady Death
I feel you deep down in my heart

murmuring like a fountain:
isn\'t this what\'s called
life after life?

Not yet. Not yet. Not yet.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère