Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Frank Keizer

because under normal circumstances

because under normal circumstances
I became detached, not really though
because I was pretty set
in the idea of myself
and I didn’t yet know Pieter,
aged sixteen,
now twenty-four, who wanted to join the army
to defend the country
out of solidarity with me
(there aren’t any real men
left, there’s only humanitarian work)
and I fuck myself up
to get closer to him
the proletariat isn’t left-wing
and the passion of young men
is fascist
I wanted (I fancied myself as an intellectual)
to mobilize this anger
against something else
young man that I was, outgrew and became again
and am like him
you’re a dark secret now
from the suburbs
for me and Fredric Jameson the affects are weak
but is that true of others?
abstract discontent, vulnerability total

want onder normale omstandigheden

want onder normale omstandigheden
raakte ik onthecht, niet echt
want ik was eerder bevestigd
aan de voorstelling van mijzelf
en kende Pieter nog niet,
zestien jaar,
nu vierentwintig, die bij het leger wilde
het land verdedigen
uit solidariteit met mij
(er zijn geen echte mannen
meer, alleen nog maar humanitair werk)
en ik verneuk mezelf
om dichter bij hem te komen
het proletariaat is niet links
en de passie van jonge jongens
fascistisch
ik wilde (waande me een intellectueel)
die woede mobiliseren
in de richting van iets anders
jongen die ik was, ontgroeide en weer werd
en op hem lijkt
nu ben je een duister geheim
uit de voorstad
voor mij en Fredric Jameson zijn de affecten zwak
maar voor anderen?
abstracte ontevredenheid, kwetsbaarheid die totaal is
Close

because under normal circumstances

because under normal circumstances
I became detached, not really though
because I was pretty set
in the idea of myself
and I didn’t yet know Pieter,
aged sixteen,
now twenty-four, who wanted to join the army
to defend the country
out of solidarity with me
(there aren’t any real men
left, there’s only humanitarian work)
and I fuck myself up
to get closer to him
the proletariat isn’t left-wing
and the passion of young men
is fascist
I wanted (I fancied myself as an intellectual)
to mobilize this anger
against something else
young man that I was, outgrew and became again
and am like him
you’re a dark secret now
from the suburbs
for me and Fredric Jameson the affects are weak
but is that true of others?
abstract discontent, vulnerability total

because under normal circumstances

because under normal circumstances
I became detached, not really though
because I was pretty set
in the idea of myself
and I didn’t yet know Pieter,
aged sixteen,
now twenty-four, who wanted to join the army
to defend the country
out of solidarity with me
(there aren’t any real men
left, there’s only humanitarian work)
and I fuck myself up
to get closer to him
the proletariat isn’t left-wing
and the passion of young men
is fascist
I wanted (I fancied myself as an intellectual)
to mobilize this anger
against something else
young man that I was, outgrew and became again
and am like him
you’re a dark secret now
from the suburbs
for me and Fredric Jameson the affects are weak
but is that true of others?
abstract discontent, vulnerability total
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère