Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Jules Deelder

Saxonian twilight

In Lower Saxonia central
There once lived a floor lamp
It was tired of awaiting fate
And made a bid for power

After a week of kill and murder
In the streets across the town
His mates and himself took
Control of all vital sockets

He nailed a breakdown of demands
On the Energy Board's entry
And elected himself Leader
Of the Common People's Party

Each day he addressed the masses
Concerning rights of lights
In the context of one's duties
And of putting an end to fights

Once his speeches came to a close
Always at the stroke of ten
Against the wall he lined
A group of high and mighty men

Way down in High Saxonia
Seat of the country's ruling class
They wondered where the heck
Lower Saxonia was

When an old map gave the answer
And the border marked to a T
The zest for intervening
Turned into a let it be

Much to the displeasure
Of those high and mighty men
No selfrespecting official
Desired carrying the can

Lower Saxony and its floor lamp
Might blow up for all they cared
Preferably right this very minute
Just to be rid of the hullabaloo

So the very heart of Lower Saxony
Fell prey to the Common People's Party
Its leader becoming high and mighty
Got his light dimmed overnightly

Which dealt a fatal blow
To the rights of the lights
For without a shining example
The heart gets stuck in duties ample

Saksenschemer

Saksenschemer

In het hart van Nedersaksen
Leefde eens een schemerlamp
Die het lot niet af wou wachten
En een greep deed naar de macht

Na een week vol moord en doodslag
In de straten van de stad
Bezette hij met z'n trawanten
Elk strategisch stopcontact

Hij nagelde een lijst met eisen
Aan de poort van 't G.E.B.
En verhief zichzelf tot Leider
Der Gemene Volks Partij

Elke dag hield hij een rede
Over de rechten van het licht
In het teken van de vrede
En het kader van de plicht

Tot besluit van iedere toespraak
Steevast op het hele uur
Ging ter lering en vermaak een
Stel notabelen tegen de muur

In het verre Oppersaksen
Zetel van het Staatsgezag
Moest men ernstig prakkedenken
Waar Nedersaksen ook weer lag?

Toen men op een oude landkaart
De juiste ligging had bepaald
Bleek de animo tot handelen
Tot een minimum gedaald

Voor de plaatselijke notabélen
Mogelijk een hard gelag, maar
Niemand wou z'n nek uitsteken
Voor de pishoek van het land

Nedersaksen kon ontploffen
Met die schemerlamp erbij
Liever nog vandaag dan morgen
Was men 't hele zoodje kwijt

Zo viel het hart Van Nedersaksen
De Gemene Volks Partij ten prooi
En werd haar Leider zó notabel
Dat men hem de lamp uitschoot

Dat betekende de doodsteek
Voor de rechten van het licht
Want zonder lichtend voorbeeld
Verzinkt het hart in plicht
Close

Saxonian twilight

In Lower Saxonia central
There once lived a floor lamp
It was tired of awaiting fate
And made a bid for power

After a week of kill and murder
In the streets across the town
His mates and himself took
Control of all vital sockets

He nailed a breakdown of demands
On the Energy Board's entry
And elected himself Leader
Of the Common People's Party

Each day he addressed the masses
Concerning rights of lights
In the context of one's duties
And of putting an end to fights

Once his speeches came to a close
Always at the stroke of ten
Against the wall he lined
A group of high and mighty men

Way down in High Saxonia
Seat of the country's ruling class
They wondered where the heck
Lower Saxonia was

When an old map gave the answer
And the border marked to a T
The zest for intervening
Turned into a let it be

Much to the displeasure
Of those high and mighty men
No selfrespecting official
Desired carrying the can

Lower Saxony and its floor lamp
Might blow up for all they cared
Preferably right this very minute
Just to be rid of the hullabaloo

So the very heart of Lower Saxony
Fell prey to the Common People's Party
Its leader becoming high and mighty
Got his light dimmed overnightly

Which dealt a fatal blow
To the rights of the lights
For without a shining example
The heart gets stuck in duties ample

Saxonian twilight

In Lower Saxonia central
There once lived a floor lamp
It was tired of awaiting fate
And made a bid for power

After a week of kill and murder
In the streets across the town
His mates and himself took
Control of all vital sockets

He nailed a breakdown of demands
On the Energy Board's entry
And elected himself Leader
Of the Common People's Party

Each day he addressed the masses
Concerning rights of lights
In the context of one's duties
And of putting an end to fights

Once his speeches came to a close
Always at the stroke of ten
Against the wall he lined
A group of high and mighty men

Way down in High Saxonia
Seat of the country's ruling class
They wondered where the heck
Lower Saxonia was

When an old map gave the answer
And the border marked to a T
The zest for intervening
Turned into a let it be

Much to the displeasure
Of those high and mighty men
No selfrespecting official
Desired carrying the can

Lower Saxony and its floor lamp
Might blow up for all they cared
Preferably right this very minute
Just to be rid of the hullabaloo

So the very heart of Lower Saxony
Fell prey to the Common People's Party
Its leader becoming high and mighty
Got his light dimmed overnightly

Which dealt a fatal blow
To the rights of the lights
For without a shining example
The heart gets stuck in duties ample
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
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