Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nuno Júdice

SUSANA’S BATH

Between her and the water, a thread
of gold. Then, she turns off the light, and
the gold becomes silver, and the silver
evaporates in shadow. It’s just
her that’s left, motionless, beneath the sky
where the stars are eyes, and the
moon a reflection of her skin.

But she turns the light back
on, as though she wanted
them to see her. And when she looks
into the mirror, she discerns the beauty
of her body which she puts to
dancing, as she undresses
and all of the stars shine
like eyes eager for life. 

Then, turning off the water,
she slips into the tub. And the old men
leap out from behind the curtains, from
out of the canebrakes, from beneath
the grass, down from the canopies
as she, with her back to them,
scrubs her skin with the sponge
of those ranging eyes.

HET BAD VAN SUZANNA

Tussen haar en het water, een gouden
draad. Dan doet zij het licht uit en
het goud wordt zilver, en het zilver
vervluchtigt in schaduw. Slechts
zij blijft, roerloos, onder de hemel
waarin de sterren ogen zijn, en de
maan een weerschijn van haar huid.

Maar zij doet het licht
weer aan, als wilde ze dat men
haar zag. En wanneer zij zich ziet in
de spiegel, ontdekt ze de schoonheid
van haar lichaam dat zij dansen
doet, terwijl ze zich ontkleedt,
en alle sterren fonkelen
als ogen begerig naar leven.

Dan draait zij de kraan dicht
en stapt in bad. En de oude mannen
springen van achter de gordijnen, van
uit de rietvelden, van onder
het gras, van boven op de hemelbedden,
terwijl zij, met haar rug naar hen toe,
haar huid wrijft met de spons
van die ogen die haar doorboren.

O BANHO DE SUSANA

Entre ela e a água, um fio de
ouro. Depois, fecha a luz, e
o ouro passa a prata, e a prata
evapora-se em sombra. Só
ela fica, imóvel, sob o céu
onde as estrelas são olhos, e a
lua um reflexo da sua pele.

Mas volta a acender
a luz, como se quisesse que
a vissem. E quando se olha
ao espelho, descobre a beleza
do seu corpo que ela faz
dançar, enquanto se despe,
e todas as estrelas brilham
como olhos ansiosos de vida.

Então, fechando a água,
entra na banheira. E os velhos
saltam de trás das cortinas, de
dentro dos canaviais, de baixo
da relva, de cima dos dosséis,
enquanto ela, de costas para eles,
esfrega a pele com a esponja
desses olhos que a atravessam.
Close

SUSANA’S BATH

Between her and the water, a thread
of gold. Then, she turns off the light, and
the gold becomes silver, and the silver
evaporates in shadow. It’s just
her that’s left, motionless, beneath the sky
where the stars are eyes, and the
moon a reflection of her skin.

But she turns the light back
on, as though she wanted
them to see her. And when she looks
into the mirror, she discerns the beauty
of her body which she puts to
dancing, as she undresses
and all of the stars shine
like eyes eager for life. 

Then, turning off the water,
she slips into the tub. And the old men
leap out from behind the curtains, from
out of the canebrakes, from beneath
the grass, down from the canopies
as she, with her back to them,
scrubs her skin with the sponge
of those ranging eyes.

SUSANA’S BATH

Between her and the water, a thread
of gold. Then, she turns off the light, and
the gold becomes silver, and the silver
evaporates in shadow. It’s just
her that’s left, motionless, beneath the sky
where the stars are eyes, and the
moon a reflection of her skin.

But she turns the light back
on, as though she wanted
them to see her. And when she looks
into the mirror, she discerns the beauty
of her body which she puts to
dancing, as she undresses
and all of the stars shine
like eyes eager for life. 

Then, turning off the water,
she slips into the tub. And the old men
leap out from behind the curtains, from
out of the canebrakes, from beneath
the grass, down from the canopies
as she, with her back to them,
scrubs her skin with the sponge
of those ranging eyes.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère