Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Frank Keizer

Clarity about my existence

Clarity about my existence
in the long night, that spans nothing.
Afraid that I have obfuscated
the world I seek, never learned anything
from my experiences in the Netherlands,
because she
has always accepted me, a man
from the middle classes.
And I accepted her.
With my legitimate anger,
my clumsiness
and my young body with organs.
Which I stole
from the bodies of my parents
and their parents before them.
They have become redundant
and I am confused, without any organization.

Klaarheid over mijn bestaan

Klaarheid over mijn bestaan
in de lange nacht, die niets overbrugt.
Bang dat ik de wereld die ik zoek
zelf verduisterd heb, nooit iets leerde
van mijn ervaringen in Nederland,
omdat zij mij, man
uit de middenklasse,
altijd heeft geaccepteerd.
En ik accepteerde haar.
Met mijn legitieme woede,
mijn onhandigheid
en mijn jonge lichaam met organen.
Die ik roofde
uit de lichamen van mijn ouders
en hun ouders voor hen.
Ze zijn overbodig geworden
en ik ben verward, zonder organisatie.
Close

Clarity about my existence

Clarity about my existence
in the long night, that spans nothing.
Afraid that I have obfuscated
the world I seek, never learned anything
from my experiences in the Netherlands,
because she
has always accepted me, a man
from the middle classes.
And I accepted her.
With my legitimate anger,
my clumsiness
and my young body with organs.
Which I stole
from the bodies of my parents
and their parents before them.
They have become redundant
and I am confused, without any organization.

Clarity about my existence

Clarity about my existence
in the long night, that spans nothing.
Afraid that I have obfuscated
the world I seek, never learned anything
from my experiences in the Netherlands,
because she
has always accepted me, a man
from the middle classes.
And I accepted her.
With my legitimate anger,
my clumsiness
and my young body with organs.
Which I stole
from the bodies of my parents
and their parents before them.
They have become redundant
and I am confused, without any organization.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère