Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Anneke Brassinga

CONCERTO

If with shawms, gullet-pipe and loud warbling
the struck-up tuneful tumult praising our
anguished existence gets lost in the foulness,
fullness of the street – if among dust and stench
from throat and tooting brass tenuous songs well up,
sweet-scented sound-froth fanciedly inspired by
the milky-way fanfare that bursts out in worlds of
a more ethereal nature, then there is still something
by which we are clean lovely beasts.

CONCERTO

CONCERTO

Als met schalmeien, gorgelpijp en orgelend
het aangeheven schoonlawaai bezingend ons
gekweld bestaan, teloorgaat in de vuilte,
volte van de straat – als tussen stof en stank
uit strot en galmbuis wellen ijle liederen,
welriekend klankenschuim bezield gewaand met
de melkwegfanfare die uitbarst in werelden
van etherischer aard; dan is er nog íets
waarin wij schone beesten zijn.
Close

CONCERTO

If with shawms, gullet-pipe and loud warbling
the struck-up tuneful tumult praising our
anguished existence gets lost in the foulness,
fullness of the street – if among dust and stench
from throat and tooting brass tenuous songs well up,
sweet-scented sound-froth fanciedly inspired by
the milky-way fanfare that bursts out in worlds of
a more ethereal nature, then there is still something
by which we are clean lovely beasts.

CONCERTO

If with shawms, gullet-pipe and loud warbling
the struck-up tuneful tumult praising our
anguished existence gets lost in the foulness,
fullness of the street – if among dust and stench
from throat and tooting brass tenuous songs well up,
sweet-scented sound-froth fanciedly inspired by
the milky-way fanfare that bursts out in worlds of
a more ethereal nature, then there is still something
by which we are clean lovely beasts.
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Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
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