Poem
Stefan Hertmans
A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP
Memories, I said, are experiencesThat sink in the ooze of your emotions.
A bit far-fetched, you said; and I agreed.
Your fingernails – mother of pearl,
The inside of an oyster shell.
For all the years I know you,
I can’t get used to this silent spell.
Do you count syllables when you pray
To gods long since vanished?
Like bream, I said, like bottom fish.
They sink, they sparkle before
An eye in darkness.
Something like that.
Fifty metres at most ahead,
Oh how you walked.
Our kisses deep and out of reach
And, like the years, as dark.
© Translation: 2016, Donald Gardner
‘A thousand kisses deep’ is a song by Leonard Cohen in his CD Ten New Songs (2001), and the title of a film by Dana Lustig with Dougray Scott, Emilia Fox and Jodie Whittaker (2011).
A 1000 xx deep
A 1000 xx deep
Ik zei: herinneringen zijn ervaringenDie zinken in het slib van je emoties.
Je vond het vergezocht. Ik ook.
Je vingernagels parelmoer,
Het binnenste van oesters.
Ik ken je nu al jaren,
Toch went die stille weerschijn niet.
Tel jij je lettergrepen als je bidt
Tot goden die er niet meer zijn?
Als brasem, zei ik, als moddervis,
Ze zinken, ze fonkelen voor
Een oog in duisternis.
Zoiets.
Hooguit vijftig meter voor me uit,
O hoe je liep,
En onze kussen onbereikbaar diep
En donker als de jaren.
© 2015, Stefan Hertmans
From: Neem en lees
Publisher: CPNB,
From: Neem en lees
Publisher: CPNB,
Poems
Poems of Stefan Hertmans
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A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP
Memories, I said, are experiencesThat sink in the ooze of your emotions.
A bit far-fetched, you said; and I agreed.
Your fingernails – mother of pearl,
The inside of an oyster shell.
For all the years I know you,
I can’t get used to this silent spell.
Do you count syllables when you pray
To gods long since vanished?
Like bream, I said, like bottom fish.
They sink, they sparkle before
An eye in darkness.
Something like that.
Fifty metres at most ahead,
Oh how you walked.
Our kisses deep and out of reach
And, like the years, as dark.
© 2016, Donald Gardner
From: Neem en lees
From: Neem en lees
A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP
Memories, I said, are experiencesThat sink in the ooze of your emotions.
A bit far-fetched, you said; and I agreed.
Your fingernails – mother of pearl,
The inside of an oyster shell.
For all the years I know you,
I can’t get used to this silent spell.
Do you count syllables when you pray
To gods long since vanished?
Like bream, I said, like bottom fish.
They sink, they sparkle before
An eye in darkness.
Something like that.
Fifty metres at most ahead,
Oh how you walked.
Our kisses deep and out of reach
And, like the years, as dark.
© 2016, Donald Gardner
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