Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Christine D’haen

THE DEAD

Foaming green foliage, brown earth, mountains, water,
the sky grey or blue and multicoloured clouds: such is the world;
there man acts. The sun shines, the wind blows, it’s thundering,
it rains and snows.
You are here no longer.

Have I heard of your death yet? Sometimes, with a shock, comes knowledge,
come dreams.
Unaddressable are the dead.

Kira did start it; then Wietse, who told me.
Paul Hendrickx, Trees Claeys, Julia Borragán,
Monsieur Cambier et Madame, their grandson. Hoebanx: Mr and Mrs,
José Hoebanx and Nulf with Dunya his wife, and his son, and little Frank Hoebanx,
Fritz Derwael and Jettie and their little son; the Beelaerts;
Marijn, Albert.
Brulez, Gijsen, Snoek, Kemp, and Westerlinck, and now Walschap
– All Souls’ Day takes more –
Berthe Veranneman de Watervliet-Joos de ter Beerst, almost a hundred.
Quit killing!

Not yet: father and mother (nor we: father and mother),
and you:
stairs, a car, flames, water, cancer, the heart, the killer.

Of All will lack, all-embracing, the hoard.
Then being-me, then being-you through me.

Each came here and saw this:
life, an inward insight.

THE DEAD

THE DEAD

Bruisend groen, de aarde bruin, bergen, water,
de hemel grauw of blauw en bonte wolken: ziedaar de wereld;
daar doet de mens. De zon schijnt, de wind waait, het dondert,
het regent en sneeuwt.
Gij zijt hier niet meer.

Heb ik uw dood al vernomen? Soms, met een schok, komt weten,
of dromen.
Onaanspreekbaar zijn doden.

Kira, begon het; dan Wietse, die het mij zei.
Paul Hendrickx, Trees Claeys, Julia Borragán,
Monsieur Cambier et Madame, hun kleinzoon. Hoebanx: Mijnheer en Mevrouw,
José Hoebanx en Nulf met Dunya, zijn vrouw, en zijn zoon ook, en Frankje Hoebanx.
Fritz Derwael en Jettie en hun zoontje; de Beelaerts.
Marijn, Albert.
Brulez, Gijsen, Snoek, Kemp en Westerlinck ook, en nu Walschap
– met Allerzielen vallen er meer –,
Berthe Veranneman de Watervliet- Joos de ter Beerst, haast honderd.
Houd op met doden!

Nog niet: vader en moeder (wij ook: vader en moeder),
en gij:
een trap, een wagen, vlammen, water, kanker, het hart, de doder.

Van alles ontvalt, alomvattend, de schat.
Dan ik-zijn, dan jij-zijn door mij.

Elk is hier gekomen, en zag dat:
het leven, een innerlijk inzicht.
Close

THE DEAD

Foaming green foliage, brown earth, mountains, water,
the sky grey or blue and multicoloured clouds: such is the world;
there man acts. The sun shines, the wind blows, it’s thundering,
it rains and snows.
You are here no longer.

Have I heard of your death yet? Sometimes, with a shock, comes knowledge,
come dreams.
Unaddressable are the dead.

Kira did start it; then Wietse, who told me.
Paul Hendrickx, Trees Claeys, Julia Borragán,
Monsieur Cambier et Madame, their grandson. Hoebanx: Mr and Mrs,
José Hoebanx and Nulf with Dunya his wife, and his son, and little Frank Hoebanx,
Fritz Derwael and Jettie and their little son; the Beelaerts;
Marijn, Albert.
Brulez, Gijsen, Snoek, Kemp, and Westerlinck, and now Walschap
– All Souls’ Day takes more –
Berthe Veranneman de Watervliet-Joos de ter Beerst, almost a hundred.
Quit killing!

Not yet: father and mother (nor we: father and mother),
and you:
stairs, a car, flames, water, cancer, the heart, the killer.

Of All will lack, all-embracing, the hoard.
Then being-me, then being-you through me.

Each came here and saw this:
life, an inward insight.

THE DEAD

Foaming green foliage, brown earth, mountains, water,
the sky grey or blue and multicoloured clouds: such is the world;
there man acts. The sun shines, the wind blows, it’s thundering,
it rains and snows.
You are here no longer.

Have I heard of your death yet? Sometimes, with a shock, comes knowledge,
come dreams.
Unaddressable are the dead.

Kira did start it; then Wietse, who told me.
Paul Hendrickx, Trees Claeys, Julia Borragán,
Monsieur Cambier et Madame, their grandson. Hoebanx: Mr and Mrs,
José Hoebanx and Nulf with Dunya his wife, and his son, and little Frank Hoebanx,
Fritz Derwael and Jettie and their little son; the Beelaerts;
Marijn, Albert.
Brulez, Gijsen, Snoek, Kemp, and Westerlinck, and now Walschap
– All Souls’ Day takes more –
Berthe Veranneman de Watervliet-Joos de ter Beerst, almost a hundred.
Quit killing!

Not yet: father and mother (nor we: father and mother),
and you:
stairs, a car, flames, water, cancer, the heart, the killer.

Of All will lack, all-embracing, the hoard.
Then being-me, then being-you through me.

Each came here and saw this:
life, an inward insight.
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Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
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