Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Alexis de Roode

Saturday

It’s an odd thing. Recently
I can’t help getting the feeling that I have a soul.
It’s dark outside, but inside there’s a light burning.
There’s music and poetry and a girl dancing round the room,
and not just in the room, but in me too.
I could even go to the office.

Oh well... there were times I used to watch teenage mothers on MTV.
In those days I played music, just any music.
And when my girlfriend danced, I watched her out of the corner of my eye.
And the poetry I wrote was bitter and highly strung.
But today, a day when it is raining nonstop,
I’ve got my life back.

My eyes have got eyes once more.
From my outside to my inside ears
comforting messages seep whispered through.
Glorious. Just take a look at me sitting here,
with all my crimes, major and petty.

Now I’ve got a soul again I can’t possibly
lose. Today I’ll spend the whole day looking
for the right word to describe the movement
of mighty deciduous trees in the wind, in vain as always,
but with infinite confidence.

Zaterdag

Zaterdag

Eigenaardig. De laatste tijd
bekruipt mij de sensatie dat ik een ziel heb.
Buiten is het donker en binnen brandt een lichtje.
Er is muziek en poëzie en een meisje dat door de kamer danst,
niet alleen in de kamer, maar ook in mij.
Ik zou zelfs naar kantoor kunnen gaan.

Ach... er waren tijden dat ik tienermoeders keek op MTV.
In die tijd draaide ik muziek, om het even welke muziek.
En als mijn vriendin danste, zag ik haar uit mijn ooghoeken.
En de poëzie die ik schreef, was bitter en overspannen.
Maar vandaag, terwijl de dag wordt vol geregend,
heb ik mijn leven teruggevonden.

Mijn ogen hebben weer ogen gekregen.
Van mijn buitenste naar mijn binnenste oren
sijpelen gefluisterde, troostrijke boodschappen door.
Verrukkelijk. Kijk eens hoe ik hier zit,
met al mijn kleine en grote misdaden.

Nu ik weer een ziel heb, is het onmogelijk
om te falen. Vandaag zoek ik de hele dag
naar het juiste woord voor de beweging
van grote loofbomen in wind, vergeefs als altijd,
maar met een oneindig vertrouwen.
Close

Saturday

It’s an odd thing. Recently
I can’t help getting the feeling that I have a soul.
It’s dark outside, but inside there’s a light burning.
There’s music and poetry and a girl dancing round the room,
and not just in the room, but in me too.
I could even go to the office.

Oh well... there were times I used to watch teenage mothers on MTV.
In those days I played music, just any music.
And when my girlfriend danced, I watched her out of the corner of my eye.
And the poetry I wrote was bitter and highly strung.
But today, a day when it is raining nonstop,
I’ve got my life back.

My eyes have got eyes once more.
From my outside to my inside ears
comforting messages seep whispered through.
Glorious. Just take a look at me sitting here,
with all my crimes, major and petty.

Now I’ve got a soul again I can’t possibly
lose. Today I’ll spend the whole day looking
for the right word to describe the movement
of mighty deciduous trees in the wind, in vain as always,
but with infinite confidence.

Saturday

It’s an odd thing. Recently
I can’t help getting the feeling that I have a soul.
It’s dark outside, but inside there’s a light burning.
There’s music and poetry and a girl dancing round the room,
and not just in the room, but in me too.
I could even go to the office.

Oh well... there were times I used to watch teenage mothers on MTV.
In those days I played music, just any music.
And when my girlfriend danced, I watched her out of the corner of my eye.
And the poetry I wrote was bitter and highly strung.
But today, a day when it is raining nonstop,
I’ve got my life back.

My eyes have got eyes once more.
From my outside to my inside ears
comforting messages seep whispered through.
Glorious. Just take a look at me sitting here,
with all my crimes, major and petty.

Now I’ve got a soul again I can’t possibly
lose. Today I’ll spend the whole day looking
for the right word to describe the movement
of mighty deciduous trees in the wind, in vain as always,
but with infinite confidence.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère