Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Monika Herceg

inheritable traits

while beneath the surface
stillness strengthens the roots
that will provide the growth
by the furnace grandpa puffs the rings of smoke
says like a prophet this winter
shall be the fiercest of all
but even the winter is tame inside
by the fire
where the cats lazily purr
furs clean of friskiness

when he dozes off by the furnace
he often dreams of electric trains
the aging still ahead of him
the baldness unnoticed grows
in the middle of his scalp
like a glade
unborn descendants lose their hair
and have a weak heart
closing the circle
of inheritable traits

nasljedne osobine

nasljedne osobine

dok pod površinom
mirovanje učvršćuje korijenje
koje će iznijeti rast
djed kraj peći otpuhuje krugove dima
proročki govori ova zima
bit će dosad najljuća
ali i zima je pitoma unutra
kraj vatre
gdje mačke lijeno predu
krzna očišćena od razigranosti

kad zadrijema kraj peći
često sanja električne vlakove
starenje koje ga tek očekuje
ćelavost neprimjetno izrasta
na središtu tjemena
poput proplanka
nerođeni potomci ostaju bez kose
i slabog su srca
u zatvaranju kruga
nasljednih osobina
Close

inheritable traits

while beneath the surface
stillness strengthens the roots
that will provide the growth
by the furnace grandpa puffs the rings of smoke
says like a prophet this winter
shall be the fiercest of all
but even the winter is tame inside
by the fire
where the cats lazily purr
furs clean of friskiness

when he dozes off by the furnace
he often dreams of electric trains
the aging still ahead of him
the baldness unnoticed grows
in the middle of his scalp
like a glade
unborn descendants lose their hair
and have a weak heart
closing the circle
of inheritable traits

inheritable traits

while beneath the surface
stillness strengthens the roots
that will provide the growth
by the furnace grandpa puffs the rings of smoke
says like a prophet this winter
shall be the fiercest of all
but even the winter is tame inside
by the fire
where the cats lazily purr
furs clean of friskiness

when he dozes off by the furnace
he often dreams of electric trains
the aging still ahead of him
the baldness unnoticed grows
in the middle of his scalp
like a glade
unborn descendants lose their hair
and have a weak heart
closing the circle
of inheritable traits

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère