Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Ester Naomi Perquin

WAYS OF LIVING

The first did his best to appease the bear. He sang
a song about the buzzing bees, a season full
of quacking ducks, the incomprehensible
origin of the sun; 

it rang out over the clear water and echoed
off the cliff, the teeth glinting
in the gaping maw. 

Promising honey and fresh salmon, roast meat,
then trying instead to chase off the bear,
he flapped his coat, stamped as hard
as he could on the damp earth,

jumped up and down, shouted, made himself
horribly small, totally invisible,
then spread his arms and legs
so he was crazy large. 

The second walked up, saw the bear,
aimed his gun and shot it dead.

MANIEREN VAN LEVEN

MANIEREN VAN LEVEN

De eerste probeerde de beer te kalmeren. Hij zong
een lied over zoemende bijen, een voorjaar vol
eendengesnater, het door ons onbegrepen
beginpunt van de zon; 

het galmde over het heldere water en weerkaatste
tegen de wanden van de rots, de tanden in de
opengesperde bek van de beer. 

Beloofde verse zalm en honing, gebraden vlees,
probeerde de beer daarna te verjagen: sloeg
wild met zijn jas, stampte zo hard
hij kon op de vochtige grond, 

sprong schreeuwend op en neer, maakte zich
achtereenvolgens afschuwwekkend klein,
volmaakt onzichtbaar en
ondenkbaar groot. 

De tweede kwam aangelopen, zag de beer,
laadde zijn geweer en schoot hem dood.

 

Close

WAYS OF LIVING

The first did his best to appease the bear. He sang
a song about the buzzing bees, a season full
of quacking ducks, the incomprehensible
origin of the sun; 

it rang out over the clear water and echoed
off the cliff, the teeth glinting
in the gaping maw. 

Promising honey and fresh salmon, roast meat,
then trying instead to chase off the bear,
he flapped his coat, stamped as hard
as he could on the damp earth,

jumped up and down, shouted, made himself
horribly small, totally invisible,
then spread his arms and legs
so he was crazy large. 

The second walked up, saw the bear,
aimed his gun and shot it dead.

WAYS OF LIVING

The first did his best to appease the bear. He sang
a song about the buzzing bees, a season full
of quacking ducks, the incomprehensible
origin of the sun; 

it rang out over the clear water and echoed
off the cliff, the teeth glinting
in the gaping maw. 

Promising honey and fresh salmon, roast meat,
then trying instead to chase off the bear,
he flapped his coat, stamped as hard
as he could on the damp earth,

jumped up and down, shouted, made himself
horribly small, totally invisible,
then spread his arms and legs
so he was crazy large. 

The second walked up, saw the bear,
aimed his gun and shot it dead.

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