Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Alfred Brendel

Surrounded by all that noise

Surrounded by all that noise
let us be silent
No chance
even to hear one’s own voice
A few gestures will do
arms flung above our heads
lips pursed in comic despair
When no one’s looking
we swiftly touch each other
What could be lovelier
than wordless touching
From your lips
I can read your tiny sighs
your inaudible scream

Surrounded by all that noise

Schweigen wir
der Lärm ist schon groß genug
Ohnehin
hört man die eigene Stimme nicht mehr
Gestikulierend
grüßen wir uns
werfen die Arme in die Luft
schürzen
in komischer Verzweiflung
die Lippen
Wenn niemand hinsieht
wagen wir eine Berührung
das ist immer noch das Schönste
einander berühren ohne zu sprechen
Von Deinem Mund
lese ich ihn ab
Deinen kleinen Seufzer
Deinen unhörbaren Schrei
Close

Surrounded by all that noise

Surrounded by all that noise
let us be silent
No chance
even to hear one’s own voice
A few gestures will do
arms flung above our heads
lips pursed in comic despair
When no one’s looking
we swiftly touch each other
What could be lovelier
than wordless touching
From your lips
I can read your tiny sighs
your inaudible scream

Surrounded by all that noise

Surrounded by all that noise
let us be silent
No chance
even to hear one’s own voice
A few gestures will do
arms flung above our heads
lips pursed in comic despair
When no one’s looking
we swiftly touch each other
What could be lovelier
than wordless touching
From your lips
I can read your tiny sighs
your inaudible scream
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