Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jon Fosse

SOMETHING ABOUT THE ACTOR

in that which moves
like life
always in gaping motion
is something quiet
and heavy
like life itself
is heavy          For some
life becomes too light
and at once too heavy
and they step out of what happens
and stand there
shakily
ashamed
and don’t know what to say
they have nothing to say
and therefore something must be said          And they move forward
with steps light and straight as the wind
they move forward
and they stand there
heavy of themselves
in each other’s light
while the shame
dissolves
and becomes as light as the dog’s angel

And then the angel’s wings open
and spread across them

And then it is said

IETS OVER DE TONEELSPELER

in wat zich roert
als het leven
altijd in verweesde beweging
is iets rustig
en zwaar
als het leven zelf
zwaar is           Voor sommigen
wordt het leven te licht
en tegelijkertijd te zwaar
en zij stappen uit het gebeuren
en staan daar
wankel
beschaamd
en weten niet wat te zeggen
ze hebben niets te zeggen
en daarom moet er iets gezegd            En ze stappen naar voren
met passen licht en doelgericht als de wind
stappen ze naar voren
en dan staan ze daar
zwaar van zichzelf
in elkaars licht
terwijl de schaamte
vervliegt
gewichtloos als de engel van de hond
 
En dan gaan de vleugels van de engel open
en vouwen zich om hen heen
 
En dan is het gezegd

NOKO OM SKODESPELAREN

i det som rører seg
lik livet
alltid i gapande rørsle
er noko roleg
og tungt
som livet sjølv
er tungt          For nokon
blir livet for lett
og samstundes for tungt
og dei går ut or det som skjer
og står der
ustøtt
skjemde
og veit ikkje kva dei skal seie
dei har ingen ting å seie
og derfor må noko seiast          Og dei går fram
med steg lette og rette som vinden
går dei fram
og så står dei der
tunge av seg sjølv
i kvarandres lys
medan skamma
løyser seg opp
og blir lett som hundens engel

Og så opnar engelens venger seg
og breier seg rundt dei

Og då er det sagt
Close

SOMETHING ABOUT THE ACTOR

in that which moves
like life
always in gaping motion
is something quiet
and heavy
like life itself
is heavy          For some
life becomes too light
and at once too heavy
and they step out of what happens
and stand there
shakily
ashamed
and don’t know what to say
they have nothing to say
and therefore something must be said          And they move forward
with steps light and straight as the wind
they move forward
and they stand there
heavy of themselves
in each other’s light
while the shame
dissolves
and becomes as light as the dog’s angel

And then the angel’s wings open
and spread across them

And then it is said

SOMETHING ABOUT THE ACTOR

in that which moves
like life
always in gaping motion
is something quiet
and heavy
like life itself
is heavy          For some
life becomes too light
and at once too heavy
and they step out of what happens
and stand there
shakily
ashamed
and don’t know what to say
they have nothing to say
and therefore something must be said          And they move forward
with steps light and straight as the wind
they move forward
and they stand there
heavy of themselves
in each other’s light
while the shame
dissolves
and becomes as light as the dog’s angel

And then the angel’s wings open
and spread across them

And then it is said
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
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