Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ruth Lasters

DÉJEUNER

Could everyone who believes the figures in Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe
have already had lunch – because they're not eating –
please, from now on, for the sake of clarity,
say Après le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe

And those who believe this is the pre-picnic,
in the brief lull before filling the bellies
of the two clothed gentlemen and the naked lady in the foreground 

while another bathes, would they mind simply referring
to Avant le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe

After all, there's not a crumb to be seen on the entire canvas
that initially, quite unambiguously, was ideally entitled Le Bain. And please don't say,
'The water bottle is clearly empty'. They could have drunk that beforehand
in the woods.

And there could easily be a full bread basket under the hat.
And even the crumpled, blue cloth
is no decisive proof of après. At most,
it is suggestive. Such verbal vagueness as the current title 

is, in a certain sense, life-threatening. It accumulates and, eventually,
breaks the drive shaft of language. Then you can think
nothing else of others, but they can of you,
for the slightest thing and in perpetuity, 

paralysingly pigeon-holing you as 'odd', 'abnormal' or 'Aspie'.
Just as your lover might finally
go with you to the Musée d’Orsay with a magnifying glass.

DÉJEUNER

DÉJEUNER

Kan iedereen die meent dat de figuren van Le déjeuner sur l’herbe
reeds de lunch genuttigd hebben – want ze zijn niet aan het eten –
alstublieft voortaan voor de absolute helderheid
Après le déjeuner sur l’herbe zeggen?

En zij, die geloven dat het om een pre-picknick gaat,
waarbij nog even wordt gewacht met het vullen van de magen
van de twee geklede heren en de naakte dame op de voorgrond 

terwijl een andere zich baadt, willen zij nog slechts
over Avant le déjeuner sur l’herbe spreken?

Per slot van rekening zie je geen enkele kruimel op het hele doek
dat eerst heel ondubieus, ideaal Le Bain heette. En zeg nu niet
‘De waterfles is duidelijk leeg’. Die kunnen ze op voorhand
leeggedronken hebben in het bos.

Er kan makkelijk een volle broodmand staan onder de hoed.
En ook de blauwe, verfrommelde sprei
is als aprèsbewijs niet doorslaggevend. Het suggereert
het hoogstens. Verbale vaagheid zoals de huidige titel 

is in zekere zin levensbedreigend. Dat cumuleert en doet
uiteindelijk de drijfas breken van de taal. Dan kan je niets meer
denken over de anderen, maar zij wel nog over jou,
je om het minste en voor onbepaalde tijd 

verlammend vastpinnend met ‘raar’, ‘aberrant’ of ‘Asperger’.
Net als je geliefde eindelijk met een vergrootglas
met je naar Musée d’Orsay zou gaan.

Close

DÉJEUNER

Could everyone who believes the figures in Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe
have already had lunch – because they're not eating –
please, from now on, for the sake of clarity,
say Après le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe

And those who believe this is the pre-picnic,
in the brief lull before filling the bellies
of the two clothed gentlemen and the naked lady in the foreground 

while another bathes, would they mind simply referring
to Avant le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe

After all, there's not a crumb to be seen on the entire canvas
that initially, quite unambiguously, was ideally entitled Le Bain. And please don't say,
'The water bottle is clearly empty'. They could have drunk that beforehand
in the woods.

And there could easily be a full bread basket under the hat.
And even the crumpled, blue cloth
is no decisive proof of après. At most,
it is suggestive. Such verbal vagueness as the current title 

is, in a certain sense, life-threatening. It accumulates and, eventually,
breaks the drive shaft of language. Then you can think
nothing else of others, but they can of you,
for the slightest thing and in perpetuity, 

paralysingly pigeon-holing you as 'odd', 'abnormal' or 'Aspie'.
Just as your lover might finally
go with you to the Musée d’Orsay with a magnifying glass.

DÉJEUNER

Could everyone who believes the figures in Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe
have already had lunch – because they're not eating –
please, from now on, for the sake of clarity,
say Après le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe

And those who believe this is the pre-picnic,
in the brief lull before filling the bellies
of the two clothed gentlemen and the naked lady in the foreground 

while another bathes, would they mind simply referring
to Avant le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe

After all, there's not a crumb to be seen on the entire canvas
that initially, quite unambiguously, was ideally entitled Le Bain. And please don't say,
'The water bottle is clearly empty'. They could have drunk that beforehand
in the woods.

And there could easily be a full bread basket under the hat.
And even the crumpled, blue cloth
is no decisive proof of après. At most,
it is suggestive. Such verbal vagueness as the current title 

is, in a certain sense, life-threatening. It accumulates and, eventually,
breaks the drive shaft of language. Then you can think
nothing else of others, but they can of you,
for the slightest thing and in perpetuity, 

paralysingly pigeon-holing you as 'odd', 'abnormal' or 'Aspie'.
Just as your lover might finally
go with you to the Musée d’Orsay with a magnifying glass.

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