Poem

Herman Gorter

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Original language

You’re a dusky white lily girl

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You’re a dusky white lily girl,
You’re a wide velvet butterfly swirl.

© Translation: 2010, Paul Vincent

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Gij zijt een schemerwitte leliemeid,
gij zijt een wijde vlinderveluwheid.

© 1977, Athenaeum - Polak & Van Gennep
From: Verzen
Publisher: Athenaeum - Polak & Van Gennep, Amsterdam

Herman Gorter

Herman Gorter

(The Netherlands, 1864 - 1927)

Herman Gorter was a leading member of the Eighties Movement, a highly influential group of writers in the Netherlands at the end of the nineteenth century. His first book, a 4,000-verse epic poem called Mei (May), sealed his reputation as a great writer on its publication in 1889 and is regarded as the pinnacle of Dutch Impressionist literature. Gorter rapidly followed this up with a book of sh...

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Poems of Herman Gorter

We silver beings, misty lights, plants growing

You see I love you, love

You’re a silent white bright gleam of snow

You’re a dusky white lily girl

I once sat quietly and read

You stand so very still

The trees were all still

The silent road

The sun. Yellow and gold is the world

Oh, the cool black breath of the nighttime draws near

Close

You’re a dusky white lily girl

*

You’re a dusky white lily girl,
You’re a wide velvet butterfly swirl.

© 2010, Paul Vincent
From: Verzen

You’re a dusky white lily girl

*

You’re a dusky white lily girl,
You’re a wide velvet butterfly swirl.

© 2010, Paul Vincent

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