Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nico Bleutge

light summer

        for Bernard Noël

as though a layer existed between them
and the narrow strip of coastline
the clouds emerged, sharply cut
off at the lower edge, above
a wrinkled belt, in which the seagulls
punched small holes. at the next glance
the haze had ruffled the surface and the wind
was ensnared in nets of wire
just under the mirror of the water, the birds
had long disappeared, the sky
still holding for a little while the air
that rustled beneath their wings

leichter sommer

leichter sommer

        für Bernard Noël
               
als läge noch eine schicht zwischen ihnen
und dem schmalen streif der küste
traten die wolken hervor, scharf ab-
geschnitten an der unteren kante, oben
ein faltiger riemen, in den die möwen kleine
löcher stanzten. beim nächsten aufschauen
hatte dunst die fläche aufgerauht und der wind
verfing sich in den drahtnetzen
knapp unterm wasserspiegel, die vögel
waren längst verschwunden, der himmel
hielt noch ein weilchen jene luft
die unter ihren flügeln rauschte
Close

light summer

        for Bernard Noël

as though a layer existed between them
and the narrow strip of coastline
the clouds emerged, sharply cut
off at the lower edge, above
a wrinkled belt, in which the seagulls
punched small holes. at the next glance
the haze had ruffled the surface and the wind
was ensnared in nets of wire
just under the mirror of the water, the birds
had long disappeared, the sky
still holding for a little while the air
that rustled beneath their wings

light summer

        for Bernard Noël

as though a layer existed between them
and the narrow strip of coastline
the clouds emerged, sharply cut
off at the lower edge, above
a wrinkled belt, in which the seagulls
punched small holes. at the next glance
the haze had ruffled the surface and the wind
was ensnared in nets of wire
just under the mirror of the water, the birds
had long disappeared, the sky
still holding for a little while the air
that rustled beneath their wings
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