Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Sonja vom Brocke

vulgo aristocracy, oh vulture

vulgo aristocracy, oh vulture
why so scorned? You sit patiently at the roadside
turning your ropey throat
now to the saguaros, now towards us, in our super-speedsters
and whether it’s the desert fox – or us – , you
are the edge. And grin.
We’re allowed to disengage
turn off the lights. Cut the cord
smooth the mudguards and off we go

vulgo adel, o gieren

vulgo adel, o gieren
waarom zo taboe? Zit je geduldig op de stoeprand
draait je takelende strot 
nu eens naar saguaro’s, dan ook ’ns naar ons, in onze superbolides
ook al is ’t de woestijnfox – of zijn wij het – , je
hangt er wat bij. En grijnst.
We mogen lossen
de lampen doven. Ontnavelen
spatborden polijsten, en gaan

vulgo Adel, o Geier
warum so verpönt? Sitzt geduldig am Straßenrand
drehst deine takelnde Gurgel
mal auf Saguaros, mal hin zu uns, in unseren Superflitzern
und ist’s auch der Wüstenfox – oder sind es wir – , du
säumst. Und grinst.
Wir dürfen lösen
die Lampen auslöschen. Entnabeln
Kotflügel glätten, und los
Close

vulgo aristocracy, oh vulture

vulgo aristocracy, oh vulture
why so scorned? You sit patiently at the roadside
turning your ropey throat
now to the saguaros, now towards us, in our super-speedsters
and whether it’s the desert fox – or us – , you
are the edge. And grin.
We’re allowed to disengage
turn off the lights. Cut the cord
smooth the mudguards and off we go

vulgo aristocracy, oh vulture

vulgo aristocracy, oh vulture
why so scorned? You sit patiently at the roadside
turning your ropey throat
now to the saguaros, now towards us, in our super-speedsters
and whether it’s the desert fox – or us – , you
are the edge. And grin.
We’re allowed to disengage
turn off the lights. Cut the cord
smooth the mudguards and off we go
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère