Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Albert Bontridder

MONT SAINT-MICHEL

It stands atop
the heavy rock
and higher still
the unlikely sign:
the point, the dart, the peak,
the finger raised,
directing, threatening and chastening
between the gleam and breath
to one side of the sun’s discus.

The wide mother’s corpus
doubled in the water surface,
reels pregnant with itself
unnoticed past the bodiless border,
true to the axis uniting
depth both high and low.

With eyes downcast
it bows its cool profile
over the shimmering plate
that between the hesitant shores
refuses access to the deep sea.

MONT SAINT-MICHEL

MONT SAINT-MICHEL

Het staat bovenop
de zware rots
en hoger nog
het onwaarschijnlijk teken:
de punt, de pijl, de piek,
de opgeheven vinger,
wijzend, dreigend en berispend
tussen glans en adem
terzijde van de zonneschijf.

Het brede moederlijf,
verdubbeld in de waterspiegel,
tolt zwanger van zichzelf
onmerkbaar langs de lichaamloze grens,
trouw aan de spil die diepte
in hoog en laag verenigt.

Met neergeslagen ogen
buigt het zijn koel profiel
over de glinsterende plaat
die tussen aarzelende oevers
de toegang tot het zeediep weigert.
Close

MONT SAINT-MICHEL

It stands atop
the heavy rock
and higher still
the unlikely sign:
the point, the dart, the peak,
the finger raised,
directing, threatening and chastening
between the gleam and breath
to one side of the sun’s discus.

The wide mother’s corpus
doubled in the water surface,
reels pregnant with itself
unnoticed past the bodiless border,
true to the axis uniting
depth both high and low.

With eyes downcast
it bows its cool profile
over the shimmering plate
that between the hesitant shores
refuses access to the deep sea.

MONT SAINT-MICHEL

It stands atop
the heavy rock
and higher still
the unlikely sign:
the point, the dart, the peak,
the finger raised,
directing, threatening and chastening
between the gleam and breath
to one side of the sun’s discus.

The wide mother’s corpus
doubled in the water surface,
reels pregnant with itself
unnoticed past the bodiless border,
true to the axis uniting
depth both high and low.

With eyes downcast
it bows its cool profile
over the shimmering plate
that between the hesitant shores
refuses access to the deep sea.
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