Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Roberto Amato

THE PIGEONS LISTEN TO US CONVERSE

The pigeons listen to us converse. 
We talk about things that are almost impossible:
the open-air theatre of Terpsichore
the sated man who is nonetheless a model of virtue 
the trilogy of Parmenides (who was not a philosopher 
but a Byzantine topographer).

Pigeons are highly intelligent notwithstanding their tiny heads
which wobble.
At a certain point they block our path  
and start to question us subtly.
Yes
they’re right: Terpsichore had to do with dance 
and the sated man didn’t actually have celestial revelations.
Parmenides divided the world into three slightly unequal parts.

(and it marked the beginning of disaster).

THE PIGEONS LISTEN TO US CONVERSE

I piccioni ci ascoltano dialogare.
Parliamo di cose quasi impossibili:
il teatro scoperto di Tersicore
l’uomo sazio eppure modello di virtù
la trilogia di Parmenide (che non era filosofo
ma un topografo bizantino).
 
I piccioni sono intelligentissimi malgrado la testa piccola
e tentennante.
A un certo punto ci sbarrano la strada
e cominciano a interrogarsi sottilmente.

hanno ragione loro: Tersicore si occupava di balletti
e l’uomo sazio non aveva delle vere e proprie illuminazioni celesti.
Parmenide divise il mondo in tre parti leggermente disuguali.
 
(e fu l’inizio del disastro).
Close

THE PIGEONS LISTEN TO US CONVERSE

The pigeons listen to us converse. 
We talk about things that are almost impossible:
the open-air theatre of Terpsichore
the sated man who is nonetheless a model of virtue 
the trilogy of Parmenides (who was not a philosopher 
but a Byzantine topographer).

Pigeons are highly intelligent notwithstanding their tiny heads
which wobble.
At a certain point they block our path  
and start to question us subtly.
Yes
they’re right: Terpsichore had to do with dance 
and the sated man didn’t actually have celestial revelations.
Parmenides divided the world into three slightly unequal parts.

(and it marked the beginning of disaster).

THE PIGEONS LISTEN TO US CONVERSE

The pigeons listen to us converse. 
We talk about things that are almost impossible:
the open-air theatre of Terpsichore
the sated man who is nonetheless a model of virtue 
the trilogy of Parmenides (who was not a philosopher 
but a Byzantine topographer).

Pigeons are highly intelligent notwithstanding their tiny heads
which wobble.
At a certain point they block our path  
and start to question us subtly.
Yes
they’re right: Terpsichore had to do with dance 
and the sated man didn’t actually have celestial revelations.
Parmenides divided the world into three slightly unequal parts.

(and it marked the beginning of disaster).
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