Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Shulamit Apfel

SLOW COOKING

I killed myself with slow cooking said Leona

green looks nice on you said her husband donned his hat and went out

why are you walking about naked

people asked. But I said the man who went out

my wife killed herself with slow cooking

all evening I sat among customers in the cafe

the waiter didn’t speak to me

I don’t recognize anyone on the street

at the square I ran into a demonstration

lost my way among the sign bearers

I’ve never succeeded with women aside from my wife

I’m not even sure what kind of man I am

I’ve turned into a story that I’ve told to myself  

בישול איטי

בישול איטי

הִתְאַבַּדְתִּי בְּבִשּׁוּל אִיטִּי אָמְרָה לִיאוֹנַה
יָפֶה לָךְ יָרֹק אָמַר בַּעֲלָהּ חָבַשׁ כּוֹבָעוֹ וְיָצָא
מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה מְהַלֵּךְ בָּרְחוֹב כְּשֶׁרַק עוֹרְךָ לְגוּפְךָ
שָׁאֲלוּ עוֹבְרִים וְשָׁבִים, אָבֵל אֲנִי, עָנָה הָאִישׁ שֶׁיָּצָא
אִשְׁתִּי הִתְאַבְּדָה בְּבִשּׁוּל אִטִּי
כָּל הָעֶרֶב יָשַׁבְתִּי בֵּין בָּאֵי הַקָּפֶה
הַמֶּלְצַר לֹא פָּנָה אֵלַי בִּדְּבָרִים
אֲנִי לֹא מְזַהֶה אִישׁ בָּרְחוֹב
בַּכִּכָּר נִקְלַעְתִּי לַהַפְגָּנָה
הִסְתַּבַּכְתִּי עִם נוֹשְׂאֵי הַשְּׁלָטִים
לֹא הִשְׂכַּלְתִּי לְהַכִּיר נָשִׁים מִלְּבַד אִשְׁתִּי
כְּבָר אֵינִי בָּטוּחַ אֵיזֶה אָדָם אֲנִי
הָפַכְתִּי לַסִּפּוּר שֶׁסִּפַּרְתִּי לְעַצְמִי
 
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SLOW COOKING

I killed myself with slow cooking said Leona

green looks nice on you said her husband donned his hat and went out

why are you walking about naked

people asked. But I said the man who went out

my wife killed herself with slow cooking

all evening I sat among customers in the cafe

the waiter didn’t speak to me

I don’t recognize anyone on the street

at the square I ran into a demonstration

lost my way among the sign bearers

I’ve never succeeded with women aside from my wife

I’m not even sure what kind of man I am

I’ve turned into a story that I’ve told to myself  

SLOW COOKING

I killed myself with slow cooking said Leona

green looks nice on you said her husband donned his hat and went out

why are you walking about naked

people asked. But I said the man who went out

my wife killed herself with slow cooking

all evening I sat among customers in the cafe

the waiter didn’t speak to me

I don’t recognize anyone on the street

at the square I ran into a demonstration

lost my way among the sign bearers

I’ve never succeeded with women aside from my wife

I’m not even sure what kind of man I am

I’ve turned into a story that I’ve told to myself  
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère