Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nachoem M. Wijnberg

Into politics

If you’ve worked for someone else who told you
how they wanted to be with you, are you still allowed
to go into politics? You are here.

You can pay someone to do your work for you
if you have enough to pay them and then you can
go into politics, at last.

You don’t pay tax anymore, but as if representing
the state in your purchases you buy a
warship or a play.

What else can you do instead of paying
tax? Say that those who have less than you
can come and stand before you
and tell you what they want
to tell you?

Or do you not mean those who have less, but those
who are so ugly you are not calmed when you see
them voting?

De politiek in

De politiek in

Als je voor een ander gewerkt hebt die je vertelde
hoe hij met jou wilde zijn, mag je dan nog
de politiek in? Hier wel.

Je kunt iemand betalen die je werk voor je doet
als je genoeg hebt om hem te betalen en dan kun je
de politiek in, eindelijk.

Je betaalt geen belasting meer, maar alsof je de staat
vertegenwoordigt in je aankopen koop je een
oorlogsschip of een toneelstuk.

Wat kun je nog meer doen in plaats van belasting
betalen? Zeggen dat wie minder dan jij
heeft voor je kan komen staan
en je vertellen wat hij je
wil vertellen?

Of bedoel je niet wie minder heeft, maar zo lelijk is
dat je er niet rustig van wordt als je hem
ziet kiezen?
Close

Into politics

If you’ve worked for someone else who told you
how they wanted to be with you, are you still allowed
to go into politics? You are here.

You can pay someone to do your work for you
if you have enough to pay them and then you can
go into politics, at last.

You don’t pay tax anymore, but as if representing
the state in your purchases you buy a
warship or a play.

What else can you do instead of paying
tax? Say that those who have less than you
can come and stand before you
and tell you what they want
to tell you?

Or do you not mean those who have less, but those
who are so ugly you are not calmed when you see
them voting?

Into politics

If you’ve worked for someone else who told you
how they wanted to be with you, are you still allowed
to go into politics? You are here.

You can pay someone to do your work for you
if you have enough to pay them and then you can
go into politics, at last.

You don’t pay tax anymore, but as if representing
the state in your purchases you buy a
warship or a play.

What else can you do instead of paying
tax? Say that those who have less than you
can come and stand before you
and tell you what they want
to tell you?

Or do you not mean those who have less, but those
who are so ugly you are not calmed when you see
them voting?
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