Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gihan Omar

A balcony

To test his ability
to keep his balance
for as long as possible
he took off his shoes
and jumped on the balcony railing.
He leaned to the left, then to the right –
further proof of his confidence as a showman.
I was afraid he’d fall off the balcony
instead of into it
simply because he didn’t know
that my heart is that balcony
that’s covered
with a thin layer
of dust.

Balkon

Om vast te stellen
hoe lang hij
kon balanceren
trok hij zijn schoenen uit
sprong op het balkonhek 
en boog naar links en rechts
als teken van zijn acrobatisch kunnen
Ik was bang dat hij van
en niet op het balkon zou vallen
omdat hij niet wist
dat het mijn hart was
onder een dunne laag
stof

شرفة

كي يختبر قدرته
على البقاء متوازنا
أطول فترة ممكنة ..
خلع حذاءه
قفز على سور الشرفة
تمايل يمينا ويسارا
كدليل آخر على ثقته الاستعراضية ..
خشيت أن يهوي خارج الشرفة
لا داخلها ..
فقط لأنه لم يعلم
أن قلبي هو تلك الشرفة
المغطاه بطبقة خفيفة ..
من الغبار.
Close

A balcony

To test his ability
to keep his balance
for as long as possible
he took off his shoes
and jumped on the balcony railing.
He leaned to the left, then to the right –
further proof of his confidence as a showman.
I was afraid he’d fall off the balcony
instead of into it
simply because he didn’t know
that my heart is that balcony
that’s covered
with a thin layer
of dust.

A balcony

To test his ability
to keep his balance
for as long as possible
he took off his shoes
and jumped on the balcony railing.
He leaned to the left, then to the right –
further proof of his confidence as a showman.
I was afraid he’d fall off the balcony
instead of into it
simply because he didn’t know
that my heart is that balcony
that’s covered
with a thin layer
of dust.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère