Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Hanny Michaelis

In an unguarded moment

In an unguarded moment,
yearning, I stole in
and have lost my way inside you.

A barbaric landscape
bears the sparse signs
of your presence:
the defoliated tree
that casts no shadow,
the blackened shrubbery,
the dried up creek
between the rocks
and deep beneath the grey
thirsty crust of the earth
the muffled rushing
of murmuring water
that can find no way out.

In een onbewaakt ogenblik

In een onbewaakt ogenblik
hunkerend binnengeslopen
dwaal ik in je rond.

Een barbaars landschap
dragend de schaarse tekens
van je aanwezigheid:
de ontbladerde boom
die geen schaduw werpt,
het zwartgeblakerd struikgewas,
de verdroogde kreek
tussen de rotsen
en diep onder de grijze
dorstige aardkorst
het gesmoorde ruisen
van murmurerend water
dat geen uitweg vindt.
Close

In an unguarded moment

In an unguarded moment,
yearning, I stole in
and have lost my way inside you.

A barbaric landscape
bears the sparse signs
of your presence:
the defoliated tree
that casts no shadow,
the blackened shrubbery,
the dried up creek
between the rocks
and deep beneath the grey
thirsty crust of the earth
the muffled rushing
of murmuring water
that can find no way out.

In an unguarded moment

In an unguarded moment,
yearning, I stole in
and have lost my way inside you.

A barbaric landscape
bears the sparse signs
of your presence:
the defoliated tree
that casts no shadow,
the blackened shrubbery,
the dried up creek
between the rocks
and deep beneath the grey
thirsty crust of the earth
the muffled rushing
of murmuring water
that can find no way out.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère