Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Marije Langelaar

IJmuiden

Come together these cells with a form of ambition
slide snakelike through a tube that traps us
here we have to adjust so many times we want to escape! Instead of that we give ourselves courage, an ear is formed, we shall hear! We don eyes we shall see, we blink dutifully, the fingers grow we shall feel. Joyful we become and full of expectation.
We come outside, let off a cry more piercing than the light. We are blind, deaf, dumb and numb all at once. Horrific thoughts enter then we are one of them. They celebrate our arrival jubilantly. Call us baby. It is not easy for us take us back somewhere deep in the brain we cannot cope with so much humptydumpty.
We allow ourselves to be filled with all their thoughts, they pull us into babygrows, nappies, we gurgle and it is only in flashes suddenly at the sea in IJmuiden that we vaguely recall, weren’t we once such a sea that
leaps up on rocks, that sparkles.

IJmuiden

IJmuiden

Komen samen deze cellen met een vorm van ambitie
glijden slanggelijk een buis door die ons klemt
hier moeten we wennen zoveel keren willen we vluchten!
In plaats daarvan spreken we ons moed in, een oor wordt
gevormd, we zullen horen! We dragen ogen we zullen
zien, we knipperen plichtsgewijs, de vingers groeien we
zullen tasten. Vreugdevol worden we en vol
verwachting.
We komen naar buiten, slaan een kreet nog schriller dan
het licht. We zijn blind, doof, stom en lam tegelijk.
Horrific thoughts enter dan zijn we een van hen. Ze
vieren onze komst uitbundig. Noemen ons baby. Het zit
ons niet mee trekken ons terug ergens ver in de hersens zo veel humptiedumptie kunnen we niet aan.
We laten ons volgieten met al hun gedachten, ze hijsen
ons in broekpakken, luiers, we kirren en het is slechts bij
flitsen ineens voor de zee van IJmuiden, dat we ons
vaaglijk herinneren waren wij niet eens zo’n zee die
opspringt aan rotsen, die fonkelt.
Close

IJmuiden

Come together these cells with a form of ambition
slide snakelike through a tube that traps us
here we have to adjust so many times we want to escape! Instead of that we give ourselves courage, an ear is formed, we shall hear! We don eyes we shall see, we blink dutifully, the fingers grow we shall feel. Joyful we become and full of expectation.
We come outside, let off a cry more piercing than the light. We are blind, deaf, dumb and numb all at once. Horrific thoughts enter then we are one of them. They celebrate our arrival jubilantly. Call us baby. It is not easy for us take us back somewhere deep in the brain we cannot cope with so much humptydumpty.
We allow ourselves to be filled with all their thoughts, they pull us into babygrows, nappies, we gurgle and it is only in flashes suddenly at the sea in IJmuiden that we vaguely recall, weren’t we once such a sea that
leaps up on rocks, that sparkles.

IJmuiden

Come together these cells with a form of ambition
slide snakelike through a tube that traps us
here we have to adjust so many times we want to escape! Instead of that we give ourselves courage, an ear is formed, we shall hear! We don eyes we shall see, we blink dutifully, the fingers grow we shall feel. Joyful we become and full of expectation.
We come outside, let off a cry more piercing than the light. We are blind, deaf, dumb and numb all at once. Horrific thoughts enter then we are one of them. They celebrate our arrival jubilantly. Call us baby. It is not easy for us take us back somewhere deep in the brain we cannot cope with so much humptydumpty.
We allow ourselves to be filled with all their thoughts, they pull us into babygrows, nappies, we gurgle and it is only in flashes suddenly at the sea in IJmuiden that we vaguely recall, weren’t we once such a sea that
leaps up on rocks, that sparkles.
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