kamiel79

Meneer Boeddha heeft een dikke kont

We waren omhoog geklommen op de hemeltrappen met aan weerszijden de twaalf astrologische nutsdieren in fonkelwit gips, en bevonden ons op een keurig betegeld plateau, samen met een huizenhoge witte Boeddha. Mijn dochter van vier was onder de indruk van zijn grote oren en dikke buik, dus ik stelde haar, om haar onderzoekersgeest te stimuleren, ...

Reading: Under the poplars by Cesar Vallejo

The Peruvian poet Cesar Vallejo (1892-1938) was a very innovative poet who write lines praised for their authenticity. Edith Grossman says, he “created a wrenching poetic language for Spanish that radically altered the shape of its imagery and the nature of its rhythms […] He saw the world in piercing flashes of outrage and anguish, terror and pity

Reading: A Life by Edith Södergran

Edith Södergran (1892-1923) published 5 collections of poetry. She was one of the first modernists of Swedish-language literature. Browsing her poetry, I liked this one, called 'A life'. I read an English translation by Averill Curdy that goes as follows: A life That the stars are adamant everyone understands— but I won’t give up seeking joy ...

Conquest

The poet has the high command He lines up his cavalry of tin words In the beginning he polished them He was still learning at the time Now the poet is the barbarian who changed clothes with their general And then orders them to charge at him and there they come - How sweet their ...

Reading: The second Madrigal by Anna Swir

Today my eye fell on Polish poet Anna Swir (Świrszczyńska) (1909-1984). I read the translation by Czeslaw Milosz: The Second Madrigal A night of love exquisite as a concert from old Venice played on exquisite instruments. Healthy as a buttock of a little angel. Wise as an anthill. Garish as air blown into a trumpet. Abundant ...

Great was that chase with the hounds for the unattainable meaning of the world. And now I am ready to keep running When the sun rises beyond the borderlands of death. - Czesław Miłosz

Message to the future

I risk an early death by sitting down for this so listen: my clavicles move like daggers to write cut-throat poetry for you no jokes. no mirrors. This here is a message you cannot unread. Also, it ages less quickly than we do. When you and I have turned into dust, this thing will be ...

Reading: Via Velasca by Leonardo Sinisgalli

Leonardo Sinisgalli (1908-1981) studied engineering and mathematics before he became a poet, and they appear to call him the "engineer poet". Here is a collection of his poetry in Italian. I found this impressionist poem about a street, in the translation of W.S. di Piero, and I quote: Via Velasca Years of pounding have nearly Caved ...

The Gods are Back

The gods are back, companions. Right now they have just entered this life; but the words that revoke them, whispered underneath the words that reveal them, have also appeared that we might suffer together. - René Char