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
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