Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Alexis de Roode

Opening a stone

Tip the lines on their side and see the reeds.
Stand erect with your back to the ground,
and look the stars in the eyes,
till they come storming in on you.
Open your mouth. Swallow them.

Letters are invisible, words are invisible,
meaning is invisible, thinking is invisible,
the soul is invisible, happiness is invisible,
an orgasm is invisible, a cow is invisible,
essence is invisible, the reeds are invisible.

I want to live in a TV.
I want to open a stone.
I want to see the inside of everything.
I’m almost dead with forty years to go.

The poet sings.
The poet is silent.
The poet spits out stars.
The poet is a thing.
The poet is invisible.

We can set the reeds on fire.

Een steen openvouwen

Een steen openvouwen

Kantel de regels om het riet te zien.
Ga staan met je rug tegen de grond,
en kijk de sterren recht in de ogen,
tot ze op je af komen stormen.
Open je mond. Slik ze in.

Letters zijn onzichtbaar, woorden zijn onzichtbaar,
betekenis is onzichtbaar, denken is onzichtbaar,
de ziel is onzichtbaar, het geluk is onzichtbaar,
een orgasme is onzichtbaar, een koe is onzichtbaar,
essentie is onzichtbaar, het riet is onzichtbaar.

Ik wil in een tv wonen.
Ik wil een steen openvouwen.
Ik wil de binnenkant van elk ding zien.
Ik ben bijna dood met nog veertig jaar te gaan.

De dichter zingt.
De dichter zwijgt.
De dichter spuugt sterren uit.
De dichter is een ding.
De dichter is onzichtbaar.

Wij mogen het riet platbranden.
Close

Opening a stone

Tip the lines on their side and see the reeds.
Stand erect with your back to the ground,
and look the stars in the eyes,
till they come storming in on you.
Open your mouth. Swallow them.

Letters are invisible, words are invisible,
meaning is invisible, thinking is invisible,
the soul is invisible, happiness is invisible,
an orgasm is invisible, a cow is invisible,
essence is invisible, the reeds are invisible.

I want to live in a TV.
I want to open a stone.
I want to see the inside of everything.
I’m almost dead with forty years to go.

The poet sings.
The poet is silent.
The poet spits out stars.
The poet is a thing.
The poet is invisible.

We can set the reeds on fire.

Opening a stone

Tip the lines on their side and see the reeds.
Stand erect with your back to the ground,
and look the stars in the eyes,
till they come storming in on you.
Open your mouth. Swallow them.

Letters are invisible, words are invisible,
meaning is invisible, thinking is invisible,
the soul is invisible, happiness is invisible,
an orgasm is invisible, a cow is invisible,
essence is invisible, the reeds are invisible.

I want to live in a TV.
I want to open a stone.
I want to see the inside of everything.
I’m almost dead with forty years to go.

The poet sings.
The poet is silent.
The poet spits out stars.
The poet is a thing.
The poet is invisible.

We can set the reeds on fire.
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