Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Lieke Marsman

Identity politics are a fad, you say

And I say, Fads are our political identity
Manifestations of our political choices
deeply rooted in who we are
fads and trends are the gateways
the last available lifeboats
in the artificial wave pool of our image-centred age

And I am just so scared of disappearing
that I am prepared to grasp onto anything
Is there a hacktivist
who could interrupt mortality?

Is there a way
to let out a single scream
without anyone feeling the need to respond, while
at the same time making it known
that I desperately need to hear
from other sufferers?

We are all sufferers, you say,
and we already hear far too much from one another

Identiteitspolitiek is een modegril, zeg je

Identiteitspolitiek is een modegril, zeg je

Modegrillen vormen onze identiteit, zeg ik,
voortgekomen uit politieke besluitvorming
en diep verankerd in wie we zijn
zijn mode en hypes de aanknopingspunten,
de laatste reddingsboeien
in het golfslagbad van onze mediacratie

Bovendien ben ik zo bang dat ik verdwijn
dat ik bereid ben alles aan te grijpen
Bestaat er sjoemelsoftware voor een langer leven?

Bestaat er een manier
om te gillen en daarmee
iedereen de mond te snoeren, tegelijkertijd
duidelijk te maken
dat ik broodnodig behoefte heb
aan lotgenotencontact?

We zijn allemaal lotgenoten, zeg je,
we hebben allemaal te veel contact
Close

Identity politics are a fad, you say

And I say, Fads are our political identity
Manifestations of our political choices
deeply rooted in who we are
fads and trends are the gateways
the last available lifeboats
in the artificial wave pool of our image-centred age

And I am just so scared of disappearing
that I am prepared to grasp onto anything
Is there a hacktivist
who could interrupt mortality?

Is there a way
to let out a single scream
without anyone feeling the need to respond, while
at the same time making it known
that I desperately need to hear
from other sufferers?

We are all sufferers, you say,
and we already hear far too much from one another

Identity politics are a fad, you say

And I say, Fads are our political identity
Manifestations of our political choices
deeply rooted in who we are
fads and trends are the gateways
the last available lifeboats
in the artificial wave pool of our image-centred age

And I am just so scared of disappearing
that I am prepared to grasp onto anything
Is there a hacktivist
who could interrupt mortality?

Is there a way
to let out a single scream
without anyone feeling the need to respond, while
at the same time making it known
that I desperately need to hear
from other sufferers?

We are all sufferers, you say,
and we already hear far too much from one another
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
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