Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Hadas Gilad

I FELL

I fell into his mouth
despite the warning signs
how did it happen
that I fell into his mouth.

This way:
His lips tempted me until
there was no way out
of his mouth —
they say, roses are red
they say, apples are round
but that’s not it

his lips - a soft gate
yes a hedgerow
and I was drawn between them to roar within
to be close to his voice

to reside like this:
in the darkness of the cave
to hear the taps of swallowed saliva
to hear the birth of each syllable
to hear the shouts of joy                

to dance at the heart of the tongue’s highway -

and when his mouth was revealed
I saw
the world’s voice -


I fell into his mouth
and I fell in love
and I fell down on my face
I fell upon him hard

נפלתי

נפלתי

נָפַלְתִּי לַפֶּה שֶׁלּוֹ
לַמְרוֹת תַּמְרוּרֵי הָאַזְהָרָה
אֵיךְ קָרָה
שֶׁנָּפַלְתִּי לוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַפֶּה.

כָּךְ זֶה קָרָה:
הַשְּׂפָתַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ פִּתּוּ אוֹתִי עַד
שֶׁשּׁוּב לֹא הָיָה מוֹצָא
מִפִּיו-
אוֹמְרִים, אָדֹם שׁוֹשָׁן
אוֹמְרִים, תַּפּוּחַ תָּפוּחַ
לֹא בַּזֶּה הָעִנְיָן

הַשְּׂפָתַיִם שֶׁלּוֹ- שַׁעַר שֶׁל רֹךְ
כֵּן, גָּדֵר חַיָּה-
וַאֲנִי נִמְשַׁכְתִּי לָבוֹא בֵּינֵיהֶן לְהִשָּׁאֵג פְּנִימָה
לִהְיוֹת סְמוּכָה לְכָל קוֹלוֹ

כָּךְ לִשְׁכֹּן:
בְּחֶשְׁכַת הַמְּעָרָה
לִשְׁמֹעַ נְקִישׁוֹת שֶׁל רֹק נִבְלַע
לִשְׁמֹעַ כֹּל בְּרִיאַת הֲבָרָה
לִשְׁמֹעַ קוֹל שָׂשׂוֹן

לְחוֹלֵל בְּלֵב אוֹטוֹסְטְרָדַת הַלָּשׁוֹן-

וּכְשֶׁגִּלָּה לִי פִּיו-
רָאִיתִי
אֶת קוֹל הָעוֹלָם-


נָפַלְתִּי לוֹ לְתוֹךְ הַפֶּה
וְנָפַלְתִּי לָאַהֲבָה
וְנָפַלְתִּי אַפַּיִם אַרְצָה
חָזָק חָזָק נָפַלְתִּי אֵלָיו


 
Close

I FELL

I fell into his mouth
despite the warning signs
how did it happen
that I fell into his mouth.

This way:
His lips tempted me until
there was no way out
of his mouth —
they say, roses are red
they say, apples are round
but that’s not it

his lips - a soft gate
yes a hedgerow
and I was drawn between them to roar within
to be close to his voice

to reside like this:
in the darkness of the cave
to hear the taps of swallowed saliva
to hear the birth of each syllable
to hear the shouts of joy                

to dance at the heart of the tongue’s highway -

and when his mouth was revealed
I saw
the world’s voice -


I fell into his mouth
and I fell in love
and I fell down on my face
I fell upon him hard

I FELL

I fell into his mouth
despite the warning signs
how did it happen
that I fell into his mouth.

This way:
His lips tempted me until
there was no way out
of his mouth —
they say, roses are red
they say, apples are round
but that’s not it

his lips - a soft gate
yes a hedgerow
and I was drawn between them to roar within
to be close to his voice

to reside like this:
in the darkness of the cave
to hear the taps of swallowed saliva
to hear the birth of each syllable
to hear the shouts of joy                

to dance at the heart of the tongue’s highway -

and when his mouth was revealed
I saw
the world’s voice -


I fell into his mouth
and I fell in love
and I fell down on my face
I fell upon him hard
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère