Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Thomas Möhlmann

Rights

Yes, the Greeks have rights, Germans
have rights, our beaches, bicycles
and privatised public property
have rights, CEOs of bailed-out
banks, farmers and nutritious animals
have rights, the single mum up the street
and her teenage daughter have rights
we have to put stickers explaining
the delivery and processing of garbage
bags on the garbage containers
we have to smash street lights
we have to draw up zoning schemes
and watch Hotter than my Daughter
because we can, before it is too late
and we’ve come down with cancer
or grown too fat to move freely anymore
because that is our right, we were born
in Europe after all, we have at least
as many rights as Americans, the Chinese
the sea and Africa, which has the right
to be raped and rescued by the Chinese
who have the right to wallow
in the national debt of Americans
who, handily rid of indigenous hassle by bullets
and blankets, have the right to have been
discovered by us, rightful descendants
of Greek forebears, illustrious
fashioners of rights and cradles
born in turn out of the dark heart
of a rich and withered, lost continent.

Rechten

Rechten

Ja, de Grieken hebben rechten, Duitsers
hebben rechten, onze stranden, fietsen
geprivatiseerde staatseigendommen
hebben rechten, topmannen van geredde
banken, boeren en voedzame dieren
hebben rechten, de alleenstaande buurvrouw
en haar tienerdochter op de hoek hebben
rechten, we moeten stickers met
uitleg over aanlevering en verwerking
van vuilniszakken op de vuilnisbakken
plakken, we moeten straatlantaarns inslaan
we moeten bestemmingsplannen opstellen
en Hotter than my daughter kijken omdat
het kan, voor het te laat is en we kanker
krijgen of ons door overgewicht niet meer
vrij bewegen kunnen, want dat is ons recht
we zijn niet voor niets in Europa geboren
we hebben minstens zoveel rechten als
Amerikanen, Chinezen, de zee
en Afrika, dat het recht heeft gered
en verkracht te worden door Chinezen
die het recht hebben zich te wentelen
in de staatsschuld van Amerikanen
die het recht hebben na pokken en mazelen
ontdaan van inheems gehannes ontdekt
te zijn geworden door ons, rechtmatige
kinderen van Griekse ouders, roemruchte
rechtscheppers en bakermatleggers op
hun beurt geboren uit de zwarte schoot
van een rijk, verdord en verloren continent.
Close

Rights

Yes, the Greeks have rights, Germans
have rights, our beaches, bicycles
and privatised public property
have rights, CEOs of bailed-out
banks, farmers and nutritious animals
have rights, the single mum up the street
and her teenage daughter have rights
we have to put stickers explaining
the delivery and processing of garbage
bags on the garbage containers
we have to smash street lights
we have to draw up zoning schemes
and watch Hotter than my Daughter
because we can, before it is too late
and we’ve come down with cancer
or grown too fat to move freely anymore
because that is our right, we were born
in Europe after all, we have at least
as many rights as Americans, the Chinese
the sea and Africa, which has the right
to be raped and rescued by the Chinese
who have the right to wallow
in the national debt of Americans
who, handily rid of indigenous hassle by bullets
and blankets, have the right to have been
discovered by us, rightful descendants
of Greek forebears, illustrious
fashioners of rights and cradles
born in turn out of the dark heart
of a rich and withered, lost continent.

Rights

Yes, the Greeks have rights, Germans
have rights, our beaches, bicycles
and privatised public property
have rights, CEOs of bailed-out
banks, farmers and nutritious animals
have rights, the single mum up the street
and her teenage daughter have rights
we have to put stickers explaining
the delivery and processing of garbage
bags on the garbage containers
we have to smash street lights
we have to draw up zoning schemes
and watch Hotter than my Daughter
because we can, before it is too late
and we’ve come down with cancer
or grown too fat to move freely anymore
because that is our right, we were born
in Europe after all, we have at least
as many rights as Americans, the Chinese
the sea and Africa, which has the right
to be raped and rescued by the Chinese
who have the right to wallow
in the national debt of Americans
who, handily rid of indigenous hassle by bullets
and blankets, have the right to have been
discovered by us, rightful descendants
of Greek forebears, illustrious
fashioners of rights and cradles
born in turn out of the dark heart
of a rich and withered, lost continent.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère