Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Thomas Möhlmann

We Breathe

What saves and consumes us is our belief
with a passion we love the orderliness

of our fears and desires, convincingly
I hook my awkward arm around your shoulder

we hold each other tight, I promise to keep
breathing in and out, and never to forget

you as long as I draw breath, not letting
you ever get lost, look around and look well

at me, it’s what we believe, it is what I always
wanted to say to you asleep or walking next to me

I am hungry and homesick, tonight thank god
we’ll lie side by side again, eating and keeping each other.

We ademen

We ademen

Wat ons redt en verslindt is dat we geloven
we houden zielsveel van de overzichtelijkheid

van onze angsten en verlangens, ik hang mijn
armen overtuigend verdwaald om je schouders

we houden elkaar stevig vast, ik beloof je
in en uit te blijven ademen, en je zolang

ik adem niet te vergeten, je niet verdwaald
te laten raken, kijk om je heen en kijk goed

naar mij, het is wat we geloven, het is wat ik
als je sliep of naast me liep steeds wilde zeggen

ik heb honger en heimwee, we liggen vanavond
goddank weer zij aan zij, eten en bewaren elkaar.
Close

We Breathe

What saves and consumes us is our belief
with a passion we love the orderliness

of our fears and desires, convincingly
I hook my awkward arm around your shoulder

we hold each other tight, I promise to keep
breathing in and out, and never to forget

you as long as I draw breath, not letting
you ever get lost, look around and look well

at me, it’s what we believe, it is what I always
wanted to say to you asleep or walking next to me

I am hungry and homesick, tonight thank god
we’ll lie side by side again, eating and keeping each other.

We Breathe

What saves and consumes us is our belief
with a passion we love the orderliness

of our fears and desires, convincingly
I hook my awkward arm around your shoulder

we hold each other tight, I promise to keep
breathing in and out, and never to forget

you as long as I draw breath, not letting
you ever get lost, look around and look well

at me, it’s what we believe, it is what I always
wanted to say to you asleep or walking next to me

I am hungry and homesick, tonight thank god
we’ll lie side by side again, eating and keeping each other.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère