Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Roberto Amato

You may say that between me and you

You may say that between me and you
a world exists that no-one can see.
A world of children and schools
and of slices of bread and butter and enormous
cappuccinos.
Then there is a strip of sky and a road that is reflected in it
and allows you to walk.

And then there is this void which is not the sum of absences
nor anything which advances through subtraction.
But it’s hardly complicated, you see.
(even if said this way
it may sound so).

And I?
I am not there
when you open your door and your dog runs to greet you with
the table the chairs and your husband who has the face of a kind man and yet

harbours abstract resentment.

Je zegt dat tussen mij en jou

Je zegt dat tussen mij en jou
een wereld bestaat die je niet kunt zien.
Een wereld van kinderen en scholen
en sneetjes brood met boter en enorme
cappuccino’s.
Verder is er een strook hemelsblauw en een weg die erin weerspiegeld wordt
en die je uitnodigt om te wandelen.

En dan is er deze leegte die niet de optelsom van afwezigheden is
en zelfs niet iets dat alleen maar minder wordt.
Maar het is toch niet zo ingewikkeld?
(ook al lijkt dat wel zo
wanneer je het zegt).

En ik?
Ik ben niet daar
wanneer je de deur van jouw huis opent en de hond je tegemoet rent samen
met de tafel de stoelen en jouw echtgenoot die het gezicht heeft van een mild persoon maar

een abstract gevoel van rancune koestert.

Mi dirai che tra me e te
esiste un mondo che non si vede.
Un mondo di bambini e di scuole
e di fette di pane imburrato e di grandissimi
cappuccini.
Poi c’è una striscia di cielo e una strada che ci si specchia
e che ti fa camminare.

E poi c’è questo vuoto che non è una somma di assenze
e nemmeno una cosa che procede per sottrazione.
Ma non è mica complicato sai?
(anche se a dirlo così
sembrerebbe).

E io?
Non sono lì
quando apri la porta di casa tua e il cane ti corre incontro insieme
al tavolo alle sedie e a tuo marito che ha quella faccia da persona mite e invece

cova un risentimento astratto.
Close

You may say that between me and you

You may say that between me and you
a world exists that no-one can see.
A world of children and schools
and of slices of bread and butter and enormous
cappuccinos.
Then there is a strip of sky and a road that is reflected in it
and allows you to walk.

And then there is this void which is not the sum of absences
nor anything which advances through subtraction.
But it’s hardly complicated, you see.
(even if said this way
it may sound so).

And I?
I am not there
when you open your door and your dog runs to greet you with
the table the chairs and your husband who has the face of a kind man and yet

harbours abstract resentment.

You may say that between me and you

You may say that between me and you
a world exists that no-one can see.
A world of children and schools
and of slices of bread and butter and enormous
cappuccinos.
Then there is a strip of sky and a road that is reflected in it
and allows you to walk.

And then there is this void which is not the sum of absences
nor anything which advances through subtraction.
But it’s hardly complicated, you see.
(even if said this way
it may sound so).

And I?
I am not there
when you open your door and your dog runs to greet you with
the table the chairs and your husband who has the face of a kind man and yet

harbours abstract resentment.
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