Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gerda Blees

JOANNE

Joanne went to river country
so she could wake up next to men
with soft words on their lips and then
admire the lines
her blue-painted nails
drew on their pimply backs
during forgotten nights

at least that was what she did
following a plan had never been her thing
her qualities lay in the flesh
and blood of her bedfellows
as Joanne’s mother always said

in that river country she experienced things
that we on the coast can only dream of
or collect nightmares about
like water in a leaky pan

but those who get Joanne know better
than to compare her with kitchenware

she spent time outside the cave and only
her outside came home again.

JOANNE

JOANNE

Joanne is naar het rivierenland gegaan
om wakker te worden naast mannen
met zachte g’s in de keel en dan
de strepen te bewonderen
die ze in vergeten nachten
met haar blauwgelakte nagels
op hun pukkelige ruggen tekende

dat was tenminste wat ze deed
plannen volgen was nooit echt haar ding geweest
haar kwaliteiten lagen in het vlees
en bloed van haar bedgenoten
vond ook de moeder van

Joanne, in het rivierenland maakte zij dingen mee
waarover wij aan zee alleen maar dromen
of nachtmerries kunnen verzamelen
als water in een doorgeroeste pan

maar wie Joanne kent weet wel beter
dan haar met keukengerei te vergelijken

zij is uit de grot geweest en alleen
haar buitenkant is thuisgekomen.
Close

JOANNE

Joanne went to river country
so she could wake up next to men
with soft words on their lips and then
admire the lines
her blue-painted nails
drew on their pimply backs
during forgotten nights

at least that was what she did
following a plan had never been her thing
her qualities lay in the flesh
and blood of her bedfellows
as Joanne’s mother always said

in that river country she experienced things
that we on the coast can only dream of
or collect nightmares about
like water in a leaky pan

but those who get Joanne know better
than to compare her with kitchenware

she spent time outside the cave and only
her outside came home again.

JOANNE

Joanne went to river country
so she could wake up next to men
with soft words on their lips and then
admire the lines
her blue-painted nails
drew on their pimply backs
during forgotten nights

at least that was what she did
following a plan had never been her thing
her qualities lay in the flesh
and blood of her bedfellows
as Joanne’s mother always said

in that river country she experienced things
that we on the coast can only dream of
or collect nightmares about
like water in a leaky pan

but those who get Joanne know better
than to compare her with kitchenware

she spent time outside the cave and only
her outside came home again.
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