Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Roelof ten Napel

to awaken with a body in your arms,
along with yourself you get him back, without
letting go –
 
what does it mean to stay together
when you are both abandoning yourselves?
 
a boy with a boy, a hand on a chest, head
on an arm –
 
it was as though the room was asleep sooner, all the light
came from outside, windows open, separate words–
 
a boy lay there, not afraid to disappear in
your presence–
 
you asleep yet?
 
who did you ask?
no one else was there

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te ontwaken met een lichaam in je armen,
met jezelf krijg je ook hem weer terug, zonder
los te laten —

wat betekent het, om ook als jij jezelf verlaat,
en hij zichzelf verlaat, bij elkaar te blijven?

jongen bij jongen, een hand op een borst, hoofd
op een arm —

het was alsof de kamer eerder sliep, al het licht
kwam al van buiten, ramen open, losse woorden —

daar lag een jongen, niet bang om in je bijzijn
te verdwijnen —

slaap je al?

wie vroeg je dat?
er was toen niemand anders hier
Close

to awaken with a body in your arms,
along with yourself you get him back, without
letting go –
 
what does it mean to stay together
when you are both abandoning yourselves?
 
a boy with a boy, a hand on a chest, head
on an arm –
 
it was as though the room was asleep sooner, all the light
came from outside, windows open, separate words–
 
a boy lay there, not afraid to disappear in
your presence–
 
you asleep yet?
 
who did you ask?
no one else was there

to awaken with a body in your arms,
along with yourself you get him back, without
letting go –
 
what does it mean to stay together
when you are both abandoning yourselves?
 
a boy with a boy, a hand on a chest, head
on an arm –
 
it was as though the room was asleep sooner, all the light
came from outside, windows open, separate words–
 
a boy lay there, not afraid to disappear in
your presence–
 
you asleep yet?
 
who did you ask?
no one else was there
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