on the roof of the house with the wind vane
a heron takes off on a steep incline
all the guests walk slowly to
the pond that is filled to the brim

this is an afternoon and it's raining
windows become doors to step through
a dog chases after a child on the lawn
voices stay behind above the grass

the sound is muffled by the sound of the motorway

the man who went upstairs without asking is asleep
with his head deep in the pillows
at the party someone is being sick
at the party there's always someone with a noose around his neck

the bin liner hangs from the door handle
a knife is stuck into the cake

Translated by Willem Groenewegen