Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

S. Joseph

Between These Lines

Between these lines
sometimes I and sometimes you
may cease to exist.
We are not acquainted with each other.
We might have seen each other
in the town, or on the beach.
It might be you
who stood holding the railing of the bridge
watching someone angling down below.
Or, we must have met somewhere
While going out to buy meat or medicines.
We are just ordinary people, aren’t we?
But we try to do extraordinary things.
You drive a vehicle.
Or open a shop, making use of a loan.
You pass an exam. You sing a song.
I try to write poems.
Our actions may outlive us.
I will cease to exist in the middle of my writing.
And you, in the middle of your reading.

BETWEEN THESE LINES

Close

Between These Lines

Between these lines
sometimes I and sometimes you
may cease to exist.
We are not acquainted with each other.
We might have seen each other
in the town, or on the beach.
It might be you
who stood holding the railing of the bridge
watching someone angling down below.
Or, we must have met somewhere
While going out to buy meat or medicines.
We are just ordinary people, aren’t we?
But we try to do extraordinary things.
You drive a vehicle.
Or open a shop, making use of a loan.
You pass an exam. You sing a song.
I try to write poems.
Our actions may outlive us.
I will cease to exist in the middle of my writing.
And you, in the middle of your reading.

Between These Lines

Between these lines
sometimes I and sometimes you
may cease to exist.
We are not acquainted with each other.
We might have seen each other
in the town, or on the beach.
It might be you
who stood holding the railing of the bridge
watching someone angling down below.
Or, we must have met somewhere
While going out to buy meat or medicines.
We are just ordinary people, aren’t we?
But we try to do extraordinary things.
You drive a vehicle.
Or open a shop, making use of a loan.
You pass an exam. You sing a song.
I try to write poems.
Our actions may outlive us.
I will cease to exist in the middle of my writing.
And you, in the middle of your reading.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère