Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Peter Verhelst

LEST WE FORGET

As long as we do not forget, then nothing will be lost.

So let’s forget, but only
in the way that we by talking can let disappear extremely slowly – there,
you see, can you still hardly see it, straight into the sun?

As long as we do not forget that something of our nothing may be lost, at last –

in the way there is a staying silent that’s at once a form of singing
that is a form of bearing, a bearing of a body in this way
that it right through us, as if it’s falling forward extremely slowly, something like glass
below skin, brittle glass, perhaps that is the body
that singing like a wine glass
wishes to be silently borne, that we lift it up into the air in such a way
that it keeps getting lighter – there, you see, can you still see it, hardly,
straight into the sun?

Perhaps the colours into which the light refracts
will take us home again.

VOOR HET VERGETEN

VOOR HET VERGETEN

Zolang we niet vergeten, gaat niets verloren.

Laten we dus vergeten, maar alleen
zoals we door te praten iets uiterst traag kunnen laten verdwijnen – daar,
zie je het, zie je het nog nauwelijks, tegen de zon in?

Zolang we niet vergeten dat iets van ons niets verloren mag gaan, eindelijk –

zoals er een zwijgen bestaat dat tegelijk een vorm is van zingen
dat een vorm is van dragen, een lichaam zo te dragen
dat het door ons heen, alsof het uiterst traag voorover valt, iets als glas
onder vel, broos glas, misschien is dat het lichaam
dat als een wijnglas zingend
zwijgend gedragen wil worden, dat wij het zo in de lucht heffen
dat het almaar lichter wordt – daar, zie je het, zie je het nog, nauwelijks,
tegen de zon in? 

Misschien brengen de kleuren waarin het licht breekt
ons naar huis terug.
Close

LEST WE FORGET

As long as we do not forget, then nothing will be lost.

So let’s forget, but only
in the way that we by talking can let disappear extremely slowly – there,
you see, can you still hardly see it, straight into the sun?

As long as we do not forget that something of our nothing may be lost, at last –

in the way there is a staying silent that’s at once a form of singing
that is a form of bearing, a bearing of a body in this way
that it right through us, as if it’s falling forward extremely slowly, something like glass
below skin, brittle glass, perhaps that is the body
that singing like a wine glass
wishes to be silently borne, that we lift it up into the air in such a way
that it keeps getting lighter – there, you see, can you still see it, hardly,
straight into the sun?

Perhaps the colours into which the light refracts
will take us home again.

LEST WE FORGET

As long as we do not forget, then nothing will be lost.

So let’s forget, but only
in the way that we by talking can let disappear extremely slowly – there,
you see, can you still hardly see it, straight into the sun?

As long as we do not forget that something of our nothing may be lost, at last –

in the way there is a staying silent that’s at once a form of singing
that is a form of bearing, a bearing of a body in this way
that it right through us, as if it’s falling forward extremely slowly, something like glass
below skin, brittle glass, perhaps that is the body
that singing like a wine glass
wishes to be silently borne, that we lift it up into the air in such a way
that it keeps getting lighter – there, you see, can you still see it, hardly,
straight into the sun?

Perhaps the colours into which the light refracts
will take us home again.
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