Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Maud Vanhauwaert

What to do with

What to do with the woman who suddenly
spread her arms. Did she want to hug me
or was she pointing in two directions _

What to do with the writer who hasn’t
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _

What to do with the man on the bridge. He
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _

With the man who strung himself up with
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
   
With the raped girl and the people
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _

The woman who exposes her rolls of fat
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _  
   
The burnt motorbike and the sleepless child
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
  
What to do with the testicles of the tomcat
that is much calmer now _

What to do with the people with nothing to say
who have come to the party anyway _

What to do with the queasy child.
He really does feel very sick _

What to do with the woman who pops up behind
me and says ‘you know me from somewhere
and you get to say where’ _

Wat doen we met

Wat doen we met

Wat doen we met de vrouw die plots haar
armen spreidde. Wilde ze me omhelzen
of wees ze twee richtingen aan_

Wat doen we met de schrijver die zijn
boeken niet uitgaf want ‘zolang de vruchten
niet zijn gevallen, rotten ze niet’_
 
Wat doen we met de man op de brug. Hij
tuurt in de verte en zegt ‘ik kan ervan
meespreken’ _

Met de man die zichzelf met een das heeft
opgeknoopt. Plechtig en deftig. Met respect
voor de dood _
  
Met het verkrachte meisje en de mensen
die zeggen ‘zo mooi is ze toch niet’ _

De vrouw die haar vetrollen toont en
zegt ‘kijk, dit is mijn sloppenwijk’ _
  
De verkoolde brommer en het slapeloze
kind dat plots weer in de living staat _

Wat doen we met de testikels van de kater
die nu rustiger is _

Wat doen we met hen die niets te vertellen
hebben en toch op het feestje zijn _

Wat doen we met de misselijke kleuter.
Hij is echt heel misselijk _

Wat doen we met de vrouw die plots achter
mij staat en zegt ‘je kent mij van ergens
en je mag kiezen van waar’ _
Close

What to do with

What to do with the woman who suddenly
spread her arms. Did she want to hug me
or was she pointing in two directions _

What to do with the writer who hasn’t
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _

What to do with the man on the bridge. He
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _

With the man who strung himself up with
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
   
With the raped girl and the people
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _

The woman who exposes her rolls of fat
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _  
   
The burnt motorbike and the sleepless child
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
  
What to do with the testicles of the tomcat
that is much calmer now _

What to do with the people with nothing to say
who have come to the party anyway _

What to do with the queasy child.
He really does feel very sick _

What to do with the woman who pops up behind
me and says ‘you know me from somewhere
and you get to say where’ _

What to do with

What to do with the woman who suddenly
spread her arms. Did she want to hug me
or was she pointing in two directions _

What to do with the writer who hasn’t
published his books because ‘as long as
the fruit’s on the vine it won’t rot’ _

What to do with the man on the bridge. He
peers into the distance and says ‘tell me
about it’ _

With the man who strung himself up with
a tie. Fitting and solemn. Respectful
of death _
   
With the raped girl and the people
who say ‘she’s not even that pretty’ _

The woman who exposes her rolls of fat
and says ‘look, these are my slums’ _  
   
The burnt motorbike and the sleepless child
who’s suddenly reappeared in the living room _
  
What to do with the testicles of the tomcat
that is much calmer now _

What to do with the people with nothing to say
who have come to the party anyway _

What to do with the queasy child.
He really does feel very sick _

What to do with the woman who pops up behind
me and says ‘you know me from somewhere
and you get to say where’ _
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