Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Mohamed Bachkar

The verge of annihilation

On the verge
is my neck;
Give me birth on the nest of these legendary ashes
For my head to fall like a brazier
Revealing the depths of hell . . .
Lay me like an egg the size of the sky
For my shell to split
On a world that flies not . . .
Metamorphose me into king Solomon’s legendary ants
To graze on the hair darting out of the queen of Sheba’s legs
Seduction creeping
On her throne

For me then
To perish

THE VERGE OF ANNIHILATION

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The verge of annihilation

On the verge
is my neck;
Give me birth on the nest of these legendary ashes
For my head to fall like a brazier
Revealing the depths of hell . . .
Lay me like an egg the size of the sky
For my shell to split
On a world that flies not . . .
Metamorphose me into king Solomon’s legendary ants
To graze on the hair darting out of the queen of Sheba’s legs
Seduction creeping
On her throne

For me then
To perish

The verge of annihilation

On the verge
is my neck;
Give me birth on the nest of these legendary ashes
For my head to fall like a brazier
Revealing the depths of hell . . .
Lay me like an egg the size of the sky
For my shell to split
On a world that flies not . . .
Metamorphose me into king Solomon’s legendary ants
To graze on the hair darting out of the queen of Sheba’s legs
Seduction creeping
On her throne

For me then
To perish
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