Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jeroen Theunissen

WHAT I SAW TODAY

I saw a lover lock the doors,
eat bread, sweetmeats and wait,
doze off in a car in the sun and
chat with a lounger man.

I saw a pair of owlish spectacles on a red bed,
a programme on orphaned children and
a bottle of mineral water next to the telly,
carrots, tomes that I read.

I saw the tap drip with victory,
I saw a hero climbing a mountain
of red, brown, orange, green and grey,
heroes! I barely saw the rustling.

I briefly closed my eyes and bellowed
from almost notnothing to almost notblack.

I saw the paper full with the opinions
of idealists, I saw the young women
and their painted toenails, I saw etc.

I saw grass, houses, wind, a computer,
people in a swimming pool, a beautiful dance,
I saw the jumper I would later wear against the cold.
That is what I saw today.

WAT IK ZAG VANDAAG

WAT IK ZAG VANDAAG

Ik zag een lief die deuren sloot,
brood en zoetigheid at en wachtte,
doezelde in een voertuig in zon
en woorden sprak met een stoelenman.

Ik zag een uilenbril op een rood bed,
een programma over weeskinderen en
een fles bronwater naast de televisie,
wortelen, dikke boeken die ik las.

Ik zag de waterkraan druppen in overwinning,
ik zag een held die een berg
van rood, bruin, oranje, groen en grijs beklom,
helden! Ik zag geritsel amper.

Ik sloot ogen even en daverde
van netnietniets naar netnietzwart.

Ik zag de krant met meningen
van ideologen, ik zag de jonge vrouwen
en hun gelakte teennagels onder andere.

Ik zag gras, huizen, wind, een computer,
mensen in een zwembad, een mooie dans,
ik zag de trui die ik later aantrok tegen de kou.
Het is wat ik zag vandaag.
Close

WHAT I SAW TODAY

I saw a lover lock the doors,
eat bread, sweetmeats and wait,
doze off in a car in the sun and
chat with a lounger man.

I saw a pair of owlish spectacles on a red bed,
a programme on orphaned children and
a bottle of mineral water next to the telly,
carrots, tomes that I read.

I saw the tap drip with victory,
I saw a hero climbing a mountain
of red, brown, orange, green and grey,
heroes! I barely saw the rustling.

I briefly closed my eyes and bellowed
from almost notnothing to almost notblack.

I saw the paper full with the opinions
of idealists, I saw the young women
and their painted toenails, I saw etc.

I saw grass, houses, wind, a computer,
people in a swimming pool, a beautiful dance,
I saw the jumper I would later wear against the cold.
That is what I saw today.

WHAT I SAW TODAY

I saw a lover lock the doors,
eat bread, sweetmeats and wait,
doze off in a car in the sun and
chat with a lounger man.

I saw a pair of owlish spectacles on a red bed,
a programme on orphaned children and
a bottle of mineral water next to the telly,
carrots, tomes that I read.

I saw the tap drip with victory,
I saw a hero climbing a mountain
of red, brown, orange, green and grey,
heroes! I barely saw the rustling.

I briefly closed my eyes and bellowed
from almost notnothing to almost notblack.

I saw the paper full with the opinions
of idealists, I saw the young women
and their painted toenails, I saw etc.

I saw grass, houses, wind, a computer,
people in a swimming pool, a beautiful dance,
I saw the jumper I would later wear against the cold.
That is what I saw today.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
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