Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Joost Baars

the rustling in the trees is

the rustling in the trees is
not the rustling in the trees.

it is Your voice. the rustling
which is always the same, is not

always the same. it unlocks me,
works its way inside of me, to the

place that is Yours, where You appear  
to be absent. that’s where I can hear

Your peaceful livid churning, not   
the rustling, but the rustling

that makes the rustling sound,  
from a place in me that doesn’t sound, 

where the words I speak   
don’t exist until You speak,

where You are born in the rustling
of the rustling of the sound-

less rustling and shape me inside.

het geritsel van bomen is

het geritsel van bomen is
niet het geritsel van bomen.

het is Jouw stem. het geritsel
dat altijd hetzelfde is, is niet

altijd hetzelfde. het opent me,
dringt bij me binnen, naar de

plek waar Jij hoort, waar Jij blijkt
te ontbreken. daar hoor ik

Je vredig woedende neren, niet
het geritsel, maar het geritsel

dat het geritsel doet klinken,
uit een plek in mij die niet klinkt,

waar de taal waarmee ik dit zeg
niet bestaat, totdat Jij het zegt,

waar Jij wordt geboren in het geritsel
van het geritsel van het geruis-

loze ritselen, en mij erin maakt.
Close

the rustling in the trees is

the rustling in the trees is
not the rustling in the trees.

it is Your voice. the rustling
which is always the same, is not

always the same. it unlocks me,
works its way inside of me, to the

place that is Yours, where You appear  
to be absent. that’s where I can hear

Your peaceful livid churning, not   
the rustling, but the rustling

that makes the rustling sound,  
from a place in me that doesn’t sound, 

where the words I speak   
don’t exist until You speak,

where You are born in the rustling
of the rustling of the sound-

less rustling and shape me inside.

the rustling in the trees is

the rustling in the trees is
not the rustling in the trees.

it is Your voice. the rustling
which is always the same, is not

always the same. it unlocks me,
works its way inside of me, to the

place that is Yours, where You appear  
to be absent. that’s where I can hear

Your peaceful livid churning, not   
the rustling, but the rustling

that makes the rustling sound,  
from a place in me that doesn’t sound, 

where the words I speak   
don’t exist until You speak,

where You are born in the rustling
of the rustling of the sound-

less rustling and shape me inside.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère