Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Nora Gomringer

And it was a day and the day was ending

And it was standing and it was waiting
And it was a multitude and it looked like an ocean
And it was men and it was women
And it was children and it smelt of leather
And it was cases and it was steam
And it was mouths and it was the word
And it was blank and it was numb
And it was large and it was coats
And it was dogs and it was whimpering
And it was weeping and it was a train
And it was carriages and it was a ramp
And it was hurrying and it was the shout: inside
And it was pushing and it was hurrying again
And it was rough and it was the tone
And it was hands and it was looks
And it was minutes and it was cramped
And it was no room
And it was almost night and it was a joke
For they were like cattle
And it was a bolt and it was a jolt

And it was moving and it was no air
And it was night and it was time
And it was too long
And it was whispers and it was murmurs
And it was conjectures and it was questions
And it was heat and it was too cramped
And it was weeping again and it was a bucket
And it was four corners and it was a smell
And it was shame
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was thirst and it was chaos
And it was falling and it was leaning
And it was a tired prayer
And it was murky water from the ladle
And it was a jolt

And it was listening and it was a hope
And it was a language and it was a country
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was forebodings and it was rumours
And it was a fire spreading
And it was snatches and it was words

And it was surely not true

And it was a jolt
And it was true
And it was a strange name
Au-schw-itz

En het was een dag en de dag boog zich

En het was staan en het was wachten
En het was een massa en het leek op een zee
En het waren mannen en het waren vrouwen
En het waren kinderen en het rook naar leer
En het waren koffers en het was dampen
En het waren monden en het was het woord
En het was iets dofs en het was iets doofs
En het waren grote mensen en het waren jassen
En het waren honden en het was gekerm
En het was gehuil en het was een trein
En het waren wagons en het was een perron
En het was haast en het klonk: naar binnen
En het was dringen en het was weer haast
En het was ruwte en het was de toon
En het waren handen en het waren blikken
En het waren minuten en het was krapte
En het was geen ruimte
En het was snel nacht en het was een grap
Want ze waren als vee
En het was een grendel en het was een schok

En het was rijden en het was geen lucht
En het was nacht en het was tijd
En het was te lang
En het was fluisteren en het was geroezemoes
En het was gissen en het waren vragen
En het was hitte en het was te krap
En het was weer huilen en het was een emmer
En het waren vier hoeken en het was een geur
En het was schaamte
En het waren uren en het waren uren
En het waren uren en het waren uren
En het was dorst en het was gewoel
En het was zakken en het was leunen
En het was een moe gebed
En het was troebel water met de lepel
En het was een schok

En het was oren spitsen en het was hoop
En het was een taal en het was een land
En het waren uren en het waren uren
En het waren uren en het waren uren
En het was een vermoeden en het waren geruchten
En het was een vuur dat liep
En het waren flarden en het waren woorden

En het kon niet waar zijn

En het was een schok
En het was waar
En het was een rare naam
Au-schw-itz

Und es war ein tag und der tag neigte sich

Und es war Stehen und es war Warten
Und es war eine Masse und es sah aus, wie ein Meer
Und es waren Männer und es waren Frauen
Und es waren Kinder und es roch nach Leder
Und es waren Koffer und es war Dampfen
Und es waren Münder und es war das Wort
Und es war Stumpfes und es war Taubes
Und es waren Große und es waren Mäntel
Und es waren Hunde und es war Wimmern
Und es war Weinen und es war ein Zug
Und es waren Waggons und es war eine Rampe
Und es war Eile und es hieß: Hinein
Und es war Drängen und es war wieder Eile
Und es war Härte und es war der Ton
Und es waren Hände und es waren Blicke
Und es waren Minuten und es war Enge
Und es war kein Raum
Und es war bald Nacht und es war ein Scherz
Denn sie waren wie Rinder
Und es war ein Riegel und es war ein Ruck

Und es war Fahren und es war keine Luft
Und es war Nacht und es war Zeit
Und es war zu lang
Und es war Flüstern und es war Raunen
Und es war Mutmaßen und es waren Fragen
Und es war Hitze und es war zu eng
Und es war wieder Weinen und es war ein Eimer
Und es waren vier Ecken und es war ein Geruch
Und es war eine Scham
Und es waren Stunden und es waren Stunden
Und es waren Stunden und es waren Stunden
Und es war Durst und es war Wirre
Und es war Sinken und es war Lehnen
Und es war ein müdes Gebet
Und es war trübes Wasser aus der Kelle
Und es war ein Ruck

Und es war ein Lauschen und es war eine Hoffnung
Und es war eine Sprache und es war ein Land
Und es waren Stunden und es waren Stunden
Und es waren Stunden und es waren Stunden
Und es waren Ahnungen und es waren Gerüchte
Und es war ein Feuer, das lief
Und es waren Fetzen und es waren Worte

Und es war sicher nicht wahr

Und es war ein Ruck
Und es war wahr
Und es war ein seltsamer Name
Au-schw-itz
Close

And it was a day and the day was ending

And it was standing and it was waiting
And it was a multitude and it looked like an ocean
And it was men and it was women
And it was children and it smelt of leather
And it was cases and it was steam
And it was mouths and it was the word
And it was blank and it was numb
And it was large and it was coats
And it was dogs and it was whimpering
And it was weeping and it was a train
And it was carriages and it was a ramp
And it was hurrying and it was the shout: inside
And it was pushing and it was hurrying again
And it was rough and it was the tone
And it was hands and it was looks
And it was minutes and it was cramped
And it was no room
And it was almost night and it was a joke
For they were like cattle
And it was a bolt and it was a jolt

And it was moving and it was no air
And it was night and it was time
And it was too long
And it was whispers and it was murmurs
And it was conjectures and it was questions
And it was heat and it was too cramped
And it was weeping again and it was a bucket
And it was four corners and it was a smell
And it was shame
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was thirst and it was chaos
And it was falling and it was leaning
And it was a tired prayer
And it was murky water from the ladle
And it was a jolt

And it was listening and it was a hope
And it was a language and it was a country
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was forebodings and it was rumours
And it was a fire spreading
And it was snatches and it was words

And it was surely not true

And it was a jolt
And it was true
And it was a strange name
Au-schw-itz

And it was a day and the day was ending

And it was standing and it was waiting
And it was a multitude and it looked like an ocean
And it was men and it was women
And it was children and it smelt of leather
And it was cases and it was steam
And it was mouths and it was the word
And it was blank and it was numb
And it was large and it was coats
And it was dogs and it was whimpering
And it was weeping and it was a train
And it was carriages and it was a ramp
And it was hurrying and it was the shout: inside
And it was pushing and it was hurrying again
And it was rough and it was the tone
And it was hands and it was looks
And it was minutes and it was cramped
And it was no room
And it was almost night and it was a joke
For they were like cattle
And it was a bolt and it was a jolt

And it was moving and it was no air
And it was night and it was time
And it was too long
And it was whispers and it was murmurs
And it was conjectures and it was questions
And it was heat and it was too cramped
And it was weeping again and it was a bucket
And it was four corners and it was a smell
And it was shame
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was thirst and it was chaos
And it was falling and it was leaning
And it was a tired prayer
And it was murky water from the ladle
And it was a jolt

And it was listening and it was a hope
And it was a language and it was a country
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was hours and it was hours
And it was forebodings and it was rumours
And it was a fire spreading
And it was snatches and it was words

And it was surely not true

And it was a jolt
And it was true
And it was a strange name
Au-schw-itz
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