Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Thomas Möhlmann

Mother come out of the tree

Mother come out of the tree
with your thread and all day
there’s been no one to talk to no bird
snared and on the table inside

two empty plates two warm glasses
without wine and here your poor chair
all alone without you don’t you see so
come out of that tree dear mother out

the chimney no smoke and under the kettle
no fire and the goat filled to bursting
is nibbling on the rug by the door and the chicken
lies there like a bouquet of dried flowers

and when I dropped the vase the pieces
scattered everywhere and in my mouth
everything just grows sweeter and already around you
there’s a swaying and creaking under the full sky

so come little mother come out of that tree
with your thread and your tin cans, with both your legs

Moeder kom uit de boom

Moeder kom uit de boom
met je draadje en de hele dag
geen mens gesproken geen vogel
gestrikt en op tafel binnen

twee lege borden twee warme glazen
zonder wijn en hier je arme stoel
helemaal zonder jou zie je wel dus
kom uit die boom lieve moeder uit

de schoorsteen geen rook onder de ketel
geen vuur en de geit tot de rand toe gevuld
knabbelt bij de drempel aan het kleed en de kip
is erbij gaan liggen als een droogboeket

en toen ik de vaas liet vallen vlogen overal
de splinters in het rond en in mijn mond
wordt het alleen maar zoeter en het zwiept
en kraakt al om je heen onder de volle lucht

dus kom maar moedertje uit die boom
met je draadje en je blikjes, met allebei je benen.
Close

Mother come out of the tree

Mother come out of the tree
with your thread and all day
there’s been no one to talk to no bird
snared and on the table inside

two empty plates two warm glasses
without wine and here your poor chair
all alone without you don’t you see so
come out of that tree dear mother out

the chimney no smoke and under the kettle
no fire and the goat filled to bursting
is nibbling on the rug by the door and the chicken
lies there like a bouquet of dried flowers

and when I dropped the vase the pieces
scattered everywhere and in my mouth
everything just grows sweeter and already around you
there’s a swaying and creaking under the full sky

so come little mother come out of that tree
with your thread and your tin cans, with both your legs

Mother come out of the tree

Mother come out of the tree
with your thread and all day
there’s been no one to talk to no bird
snared and on the table inside

two empty plates two warm glasses
without wine and here your poor chair
all alone without you don’t you see so
come out of that tree dear mother out

the chimney no smoke and under the kettle
no fire and the goat filled to bursting
is nibbling on the rug by the door and the chicken
lies there like a bouquet of dried flowers

and when I dropped the vase the pieces
scattered everywhere and in my mouth
everything just grows sweeter and already around you
there’s a swaying and creaking under the full sky

so come little mother come out of that tree
with your thread and your tin cans, with both your legs
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère