By Arnold Jansen op de Haar
To mark Gedichtendag we make Arnold Jansen op de Haar’s poem Mother available on our website, in Dutch, as well as in a brand new English Translation.
It is a loving tribute to a mother and it is published in the last chapter of Arnold’s most recent novel Engel which will be published in English under the title Angel later this year [ed note: you can buy Angel now].
Mothereternal unkilling
of dying fathersbabbling aunties
wasting precious timewho now snaps his laces
their hibernation dissolvingsunday is out
she happily puts on her lipstickthinking back when she was but young
being young when all still belongedstanding there forever frozen
phoning her child© Arnold Jansen op de Haar
© Translation Holland Park Press
Moeder
het eeuwig ontdoden
van stervende vaderspraatzieke tantes
verspillen kostbare tijdwie breekt nog zijn veters
hun winterslaap dooiendde zondag is buiten
ze lippenstift vrolijkdenkend aan toen ze nog jong was
jong waren toen alles nog wasstaat daar voorgoed roerloos
te bellen met kind© Arnold Jansen op de Haar
