Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Remco Campert

I just wanted to say

Can you round off your speech please
your time’s up

I just wanted to say
keep it short then
how she came to me that evening
in that other city where I was living aimlessly
how she’d give anything
to visit me that evening
that dark blue evening
soft rain in golden lamplight
falling on the tarmac
how we lay down together
and love that big word
I can’t find any other for
folded us in timelessness
since then the ticking clock of restlessness
I often went off
but
and that’s what I wanted to say
I never left her any more
you’ve made your point

ALLEEN NOG DIT

ALLEEN NOG DIT

Wilt u nu afronden?
u overschrijdt uw tijd

ja alleen nog even dit
heel kort dan
hoe ze die avond bij me kwam
in die andere stad waar ik doelloos leefde
hoe ze er alles voor over had
om bij me te komen die avond
die donkerblauwe avond
zachte regen in het gouden lamplicht
op het macadam van de straat
hoe we samen lagen
en liefde dat grote woord
waar ik geen ander voor kon vinden
in tijdloosheid ons omhelsde
sindsdien de tiktakkende onrust
verliet ik haar vaak
maar
en dat wou ik nog even zeggen
weggaan deed ik nooit meer bij haar
u heeft uw punt gemaakt
Close

I just wanted to say

Can you round off your speech please
your time’s up

I just wanted to say
keep it short then
how she came to me that evening
in that other city where I was living aimlessly
how she’d give anything
to visit me that evening
that dark blue evening
soft rain in golden lamplight
falling on the tarmac
how we lay down together
and love that big word
I can’t find any other for
folded us in timelessness
since then the ticking clock of restlessness
I often went off
but
and that’s what I wanted to say
I never left her any more
you’ve made your point

I just wanted to say

Can you round off your speech please
your time’s up

I just wanted to say
keep it short then
how she came to me that evening
in that other city where I was living aimlessly
how she’d give anything
to visit me that evening
that dark blue evening
soft rain in golden lamplight
falling on the tarmac
how we lay down together
and love that big word
I can’t find any other for
folded us in timelessness
since then the ticking clock of restlessness
I often went off
but
and that’s what I wanted to say
I never left her any more
you’ve made your point
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère