Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Marie de Quatrebarbes

While putting some things away

While putting some things away, I recognized her dog's expression in Clint Eastwood’s

it was a jagged porcelain cup, in the Japanese cup that

first came the kids

then there was a parakeet she was telling: it's late, go home

she was afraid when I was alone and night was falling

the month prior, she remembers I called her one night, from the empty park; the lights were flickering but I was drunk

while the piece of furniture falls apart, the one where she keeps the Japanese cups that ‘granny’ gave her; preciously, I conserve my tears where I imagine them

Spullen opruimend herkende ik

Spullen opruimend herkende ik de blik van haar hond in die van Clint Eastwood

het was een Japans kopje van uitgeknipt porselein, in het Japanse kopje dat

de kinderen waren de eersten

daarna was er een parkiet waar ze tegen zei: het is laat, ga naar huis

ze was bang wanneer ik alleen was en het donker werd

ze weet nog dat ik haar een maand eerder op een avond heb gebeld, in het verlaten park; de lichten knipperden maar ik was dronken

als het meubel instort waarin ze de Japanse kopjes opbergt, een cadeau van ‘opoe’; zorgvuldig, als iets kostbaars, bewaar ik de tranen waar ik denk dat ze zitten

En rangeant des affaires, je reconnus le regard de son chien dans celui de Clint Eastwood 

c’était une tasse en porcelaine japonaise découpée, dans la tasse japonaise qui

les enfants furent les premiers

ensuite il y eut une perruche à laquelle elle disait : il est tard, rentre chez toi

elle avait peur quand j’étais seule et que la nuit tombait

le mois qui précède, elle se souvient que je l’ai appelée un soir, dans le parc désert ; les lumières clignotaient mais j’étais ivre

lorsque s’effondre le meuble dans lequel elle range les tasses japonaises offertes par « mémé » ; précieusement, je conserve les larmes où je les imagine
Close

While putting some things away

While putting some things away, I recognized her dog's expression in Clint Eastwood’s

it was a jagged porcelain cup, in the Japanese cup that

first came the kids

then there was a parakeet she was telling: it's late, go home

she was afraid when I was alone and night was falling

the month prior, she remembers I called her one night, from the empty park; the lights were flickering but I was drunk

while the piece of furniture falls apart, the one where she keeps the Japanese cups that ‘granny’ gave her; preciously, I conserve my tears where I imagine them

While putting some things away

While putting some things away, I recognized her dog's expression in Clint Eastwood’s

it was a jagged porcelain cup, in the Japanese cup that

first came the kids

then there was a parakeet she was telling: it's late, go home

she was afraid when I was alone and night was falling

the month prior, she remembers I called her one night, from the empty park; the lights were flickering but I was drunk

while the piece of furniture falls apart, the one where she keeps the Japanese cups that ‘granny’ gave her; preciously, I conserve my tears where I imagine them
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