Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Albert Bontridder

ODE TO EMPTINESS

Man with pen and compasses,
true to his philosophical measuring rule,
lets the water droplet sway
of level and unlevel,
from side to other side,
weighs by the plumb line
and designs according to the law
of try square and arris,
his step computer-driven
in virtual thinking.

Where there’s nothing, he knows
that all is still possible,
but that no beauty will beseech
what in letters and in riddles
with stone and mortar
takes the place
of emptiness:
that warm nest.

LOF VAN DE LEEGHEID

LOF VAN DE LEEGHEID

Man met pen en passer,
trouw aan zijn filosofische meetlat,
laat wiegen de waterdruppel
van pas en onpas,
van kant naar overkant,
wegen aan het schietlood
en richten naar de wet
van winkelhaak en scherpe hoek,
zijn stap computergestuurd
in het virtuele denken.

Waar niets is, weet hij
dat nog alles kan,
maar dat geen schoonheid zal bezweren
wat in letters en in raadsels
met steen en mortel
de plaats inneemt
van de leegte:
dat warme nest.
Close

ODE TO EMPTINESS

Man with pen and compasses,
true to his philosophical measuring rule,
lets the water droplet sway
of level and unlevel,
from side to other side,
weighs by the plumb line
and designs according to the law
of try square and arris,
his step computer-driven
in virtual thinking.

Where there’s nothing, he knows
that all is still possible,
but that no beauty will beseech
what in letters and in riddles
with stone and mortar
takes the place
of emptiness:
that warm nest.

ODE TO EMPTINESS

Man with pen and compasses,
true to his philosophical measuring rule,
lets the water droplet sway
of level and unlevel,
from side to other side,
weighs by the plumb line
and designs according to the law
of try square and arris,
his step computer-driven
in virtual thinking.

Where there’s nothing, he knows
that all is still possible,
but that no beauty will beseech
what in letters and in riddles
with stone and mortar
takes the place
of emptiness:
that warm nest.
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