Poem

Karel van de Woestijne

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Original language

My friend ...

My friend, you have a whiff of the big stores about you.
Some girls are like that, scrawny and white-nosed.

© Translation: 2007, Tanis Guest

Mijn vriend, gij hebt den geur der groote magazijnen.

Mijn vriend, gij hebt den geur der groote magazijnen.
Zoo zijn er meisjes, schraal en met een witten neus.

© 1920, Karel van de Woestijne
From: Substrata, Verzameld werk
Publisher: Lannoo, Tielt

Karel van de Woestijne

Karel van de Woestijne

(Belgium, 1878 - 1929)

Karel van de Woestijne is perhaps the most important post-symbolist poet to have written in the Dutch language. While he was profoundly influenced by the French symbolism of the latter quarter of the nineteenth century, he also formed part of the international reaction against symbolism. His early poetry has much in common with the inclination to the everyday and to nature inspired by André Gid...

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Poems of Karel van de Woestijne

I am alone and sad ...

Karel van de Woestijne

A star: a clump of ice ...

Karel van de Woestijne

You wear your hair in a fine plait

Karel van de Woestijne

Hardened mud and bitter crystal

Karel van de Woestijne

My friend ...

Karel van de Woestijne

Oh my black sea ...

Karel van de Woestijne

Give now, give! All the cargo’s

Karel van de Woestijne

I am the hazel-nut ...

Karel van de Woestijne

Smell of the beast in rut ...

Karel van de Woestijne

Like the throbbing lightning-dash ...

Karel van de Woestijne

Close

My friend ...

My friend, you have a whiff of the big stores about you.
Some girls are like that, scrawny and white-nosed.

© 2007, Tanis Guest
From: Substrata, Verzameld werk

My friend ...

My friend, you have a whiff of the big stores about you.
Some girls are like that, scrawny and white-nosed.

© 2007, Tanis Guest

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