Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Erik Spinoy

Scarcely have they found

Scarcely have they found

a skeleton in the attic
in an old wardrobe

charred remains in a Cessna

bone shards in a cutter –

and see there
I am already
in my overalls

leaning heavily on my stick
because of something inside
that grips me tighter every day

and squinting from two eyes
that, always myopic,
are now long-sighted too.

It’s mostly cold there,
a smell ascends
that penetrates
keenly through
my perfumed mask.

What I’m doing here
I do not know.

Nauw vindt men

Nauw vindt men

een skelet op zolder
in een klerenkast

verkoolde resten in een Cessna

botfragmenten in een hakselaar –

en hop daar
ben ik al
in overall

zwaar steunend op mijn stok
door iets wat strakker dag na dag
inwendig mij omkneld houdt

en turend uit twee ogen
die myoop vanouds
ook steeds verziender zijn.

Koud is het er meestal,
een reuk klimt op
die penetrant
door mijn
geparfumeerde masker dringt.

Wat ik hier doe
begrijp ik niet
Close

Scarcely have they found

Scarcely have they found

a skeleton in the attic
in an old wardrobe

charred remains in a Cessna

bone shards in a cutter –

and see there
I am already
in my overalls

leaning heavily on my stick
because of something inside
that grips me tighter every day

and squinting from two eyes
that, always myopic,
are now long-sighted too.

It’s mostly cold there,
a smell ascends
that penetrates
keenly through
my perfumed mask.

What I’m doing here
I do not know.

Scarcely have they found

Scarcely have they found

a skeleton in the attic
in an old wardrobe

charred remains in a Cessna

bone shards in a cutter –

and see there
I am already
in my overalls

leaning heavily on my stick
because of something inside
that grips me tighter every day

and squinting from two eyes
that, always myopic,
are now long-sighted too.

It’s mostly cold there,
a smell ascends
that penetrates
keenly through
my perfumed mask.

What I’m doing here
I do not know.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère