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Poem

Véronique Pittolo

In certain families

In certain families, the republic of girls was the catechism. Schoolgirls arrived noisily in uniform, white socks.
 
Today the emptiness of boarding-schools, the intoxication of wax candles, the gardens under snow are neglected. Girls have been led to believe they might gain access to marriage, have children, that men would stop at the café door. Are they joking? How can you get a man to bring you home when your skirt hasn’t yet filled out? Was it necessary to compare the length of my legs with the length of other girls’?
 
Soon, she’ll be able to go out on a stranger’s arm, and kiss him, share a Marlboro. The poor princesses with their hair loose will break free faster than the rich ones who stagnate. Between the two, the mass of female students will be demonstrating in the street.

In sommige families

In sommige families was de catechismusles de meisjesrepubliek. De schooljeugd kwam luidruchtig binnen in haar uniformen, haar witte kousen.
 
Tegenwoordig heeft men geen boodschap aan de leegte van kostscholen, de bedwelming van kaarsen, van besneeuwde tuinen. Meisjes is aangepraat dat een huwelijk binnen bereik lag, dat ze kinderen konden krijgen, dat mannen stil zouden blijven staan voor de cafés. Is dat een grap? Hoe moet je je laten thuisbrengen als je rokken nog niet zwellen? De lengte van mijn benen vergelijken met die van andere meisjes, was dat nodig?
 
Binnenkort is het gepermitteerd, uitgaan aan de arm van een onbekende, hem omhelzen, met zijn tweetjes een Marlboro roken. De arme prinsessen met los haar bevrijden zich sneller dan de rijke die verpieteren. Tussen beide types wordt op straat betoogd door de meisjesstudentenmassa.

Dans certaines familles, la République des filles fut le catéchisme. La jeunesse des écoles arrivait bruyamment avec les uniformes, les chaussettes blanches.
 
Aujourd’hui, on néglige le vide des pensionnats, l’ivresse des cierges, des jardins enneigés. On a fait croire aux filles qu’elles pourraient accéder au mariage, avoir des enfants, que les hommes s’arrêteraient devant les cafés. Est-ce sérieux ? Comment se faire raccompagner, alors que les jupes n’ont pas encore gonflé ? Comparer la longueur de mes jambes à celle des autres filles, était-ce nécessaire ?
 
Bientôt, on pourra sortir au bras d’un inconnu,
l’embrasser, fumer une Marlboro à deux. Les princesses pauvres aux cheveux détachés vont se libérer plus vite que les riches qui croupissent. Entre les deux, la masse des étudiantes manifestera dans la rue.
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In certain families

In certain families, the republic of girls was the catechism. Schoolgirls arrived noisily in uniform, white socks.
 
Today the emptiness of boarding-schools, the intoxication of wax candles, the gardens under snow are neglected. Girls have been led to believe they might gain access to marriage, have children, that men would stop at the café door. Are they joking? How can you get a man to bring you home when your skirt hasn’t yet filled out? Was it necessary to compare the length of my legs with the length of other girls’?
 
Soon, she’ll be able to go out on a stranger’s arm, and kiss him, share a Marlboro. The poor princesses with their hair loose will break free faster than the rich ones who stagnate. Between the two, the mass of female students will be demonstrating in the street.

In certain families

In certain families, the republic of girls was the catechism. Schoolgirls arrived noisily in uniform, white socks.
 
Today the emptiness of boarding-schools, the intoxication of wax candles, the gardens under snow are neglected. Girls have been led to believe they might gain access to marriage, have children, that men would stop at the café door. Are they joking? How can you get a man to bring you home when your skirt hasn’t yet filled out? Was it necessary to compare the length of my legs with the length of other girls’?
 
Soon, she’ll be able to go out on a stranger’s arm, and kiss him, share a Marlboro. The poor princesses with their hair loose will break free faster than the rich ones who stagnate. Between the two, the mass of female students will be demonstrating in the street.
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