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Poem

Russel Edson

THE FAMILY MONKEY

DE FAMILIEAAP

We kochten een elektrische aap, nogal roekeloos experimenterend met fondsen die sinds grootvaders tijd zorgvuldig waren vergaard voor de aankoop van een stoomaap.

Eenmaal zover hadden we de keuze tussen of een elektrische of een gasaap.

De stoomaap wordt niet meer gemaakt zei de apenhandelaar.

Maar de familie had altijd gedacht aan een stoomaap.

Nou ja, zei de aaphandelaar, zoals de opwind-aap plaats maakte voor de stoomaap, zo heeft de stoomaap plaats gemaakt voor de gas- en de elektrische apen.

Is dat zoiets als de grootvaderklok die vervangen wordt door het kleinkindklokje?

Min of meer, zei de apenhandelaar.

We kochten dus de elektrische aap en staken zijn navelstreng in het stopcontact.

De rook die uit zijn vacht kwam zei ons dat er iets mis was.

We hadden de familieaap geëlektrocuteerd.

THE FAMILY MONKEY

We bought an electric monkey, experimenting rather
recklessly with funds carefully gathered since
grandfather's time for the purchase of a steam monkey.
We had either, by this time, the choice of an electric
or gas monkey.

The steam monkey is no longer being made, said the monkey
merchant.

But the family always planned on a steam monkey.

Well, said the monkey merchant, just as the wind-up monkey
gave way to the steam monkey, the steam monkey has given way
to the gas and electric monkeys.

Is that like the grandfather clock being replaced by the
grandchild clock?

Sort of, said the monkey merchant.

So we bought the electric monkey, and plugged its umbilical
cord into the wall.

The smoke coming out of its fur told us something was wrong.

We had electrocuted the family monkey.
Russel Edson

Russel Edson

(United States of America, 1935)

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THE FAMILY MONKEY

We bought an electric monkey, experimenting rather
recklessly with funds carefully gathered since
grandfather's time for the purchase of a steam monkey.
We had either, by this time, the choice of an electric
or gas monkey.

The steam monkey is no longer being made, said the monkey
merchant.

But the family always planned on a steam monkey.

Well, said the monkey merchant, just as the wind-up monkey
gave way to the steam monkey, the steam monkey has given way
to the gas and electric monkeys.

Is that like the grandfather clock being replaced by the
grandchild clock?

Sort of, said the monkey merchant.

So we bought the electric monkey, and plugged its umbilical
cord into the wall.

The smoke coming out of its fur told us something was wrong.

We had electrocuted the family monkey.

THE FAMILY MONKEY

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