Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gabriel Rosenstock

MAENAD

In her womb she bears the constant sound of bees
That will be silenced only when a wave
Surges to her waist

She stands in the sea
Something unspeakable
In her almond-shaped eyes

Salt foam soon will sting
Her swollen vulva and she will cry out
The waves will shrink from her fury

Lemons and oranges will rain down
Rainbows of fish will arc from the water
And there will be one great humming

Later
Stars will appear from the silence
As if nothing had happened
As if this were the first of creation
She will clamp jellyfish between her thighs

An mhaenad

An mhaenad

Tá crónán beach dostoptha ina broinn
Nach múchfar ach i dtonn bháite
Go coim

Seasann an mhaenad sa tsáile
Rud doráite
Ina súile ar déanamh na halmóinne

Gortóidh sobal goirt a pit ata
Ar ball agus gáirfidh sí
Cúbfaidh tonnta óna fraoch

Titfidh líomóidí is oráistí ina mbáisteach
Léimfidh éisc ildathacha
Agus beifear ar fad ar aon dord

Níos déanaí
Nochtfaidh réaltaí as an gciúnas
Faoi mar nár tharla faic
Faoi mar a bheadh an chéad chruthú ann
Fáiscfidh sí smugairle róin lena gabhal
Close

MAENAD

In her womb she bears the constant sound of bees
That will be silenced only when a wave
Surges to her waist

She stands in the sea
Something unspeakable
In her almond-shaped eyes

Salt foam soon will sting
Her swollen vulva and she will cry out
The waves will shrink from her fury

Lemons and oranges will rain down
Rainbows of fish will arc from the water
And there will be one great humming

Later
Stars will appear from the silence
As if nothing had happened
As if this were the first of creation
She will clamp jellyfish between her thighs

MAENAD

In her womb she bears the constant sound of bees
That will be silenced only when a wave
Surges to her waist

She stands in the sea
Something unspeakable
In her almond-shaped eyes

Salt foam soon will sting
Her swollen vulva and she will cry out
The waves will shrink from her fury

Lemons and oranges will rain down
Rainbows of fish will arc from the water
And there will be one great humming

Later
Stars will appear from the silence
As if nothing had happened
As if this were the first of creation
She will clamp jellyfish between her thighs
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère