Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Masayo Koike

Water Vein I Well

Descending down to the bottom at the end
Of the snow-covered slope
Lies an old spring water well

Darkly swaying clear water surface
On careful inspection there
Steam rises

Unconsciously I dipped my hand in
I was struck
Embraced by the earth
Warm water

Before I could ask why
Already there was
Delivered there
And arrived temperature

As if ashamed
Of its speed
Instead of language
The water had turned to rising steam

I also
Lay the burden of language down
And soaked my hands silently in the water

To reply
To the words of the spring

WATER VEIN I WELL

WATER VEIN I WELL

Close

Water Vein I Well

Descending down to the bottom at the end
Of the snow-covered slope
Lies an old spring water well

Darkly swaying clear water surface
On careful inspection there
Steam rises

Unconsciously I dipped my hand in
I was struck
Embraced by the earth
Warm water

Before I could ask why
Already there was
Delivered there
And arrived temperature

As if ashamed
Of its speed
Instead of language
The water had turned to rising steam

I also
Lay the burden of language down
And soaked my hands silently in the water

To reply
To the words of the spring

Water Vein I Well

Descending down to the bottom at the end
Of the snow-covered slope
Lies an old spring water well

Darkly swaying clear water surface
On careful inspection there
Steam rises

Unconsciously I dipped my hand in
I was struck
Embraced by the earth
Warm water

Before I could ask why
Already there was
Delivered there
And arrived temperature

As if ashamed
Of its speed
Instead of language
The water had turned to rising steam

I also
Lay the burden of language down
And soaked my hands silently in the water

To reply
To the words of the spring
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère