Monday, 18 June 2012

Poets to Check Out - Vrouwkje Tuinman

I have my own translation here from her original Dutch


Balance

What if I paint my nails red and pare a pencil
Draw a line down the middle of the page
Put the cons on the left and pros on the right.
On one side of the line is IKEA; I wouldn’t go there anymore
because I only go there with you.
Underneath is you calling from work, calling about work
me calling you at work. I don’t need that.
On the other side is that I gain a family.
They said it themselves.
Last Friday I was at your brother’s party and Sunday at your sister’s.
Also there are the new friends
who all have a left side for things they’ve lost - you -
and a right side where sometimes they put me.
On the left, I’d have no one to mind my house or my cat
or go with me to the vets.
That I’ve seen how happy you are, I put on the left side
and on the right side as well.
The pencil breaks. I pare my nails red.

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