Hendrik Jan Marsman

J. Bernlef] (1937-2012 / Sint Pancras

After The Depression

On the edge of the newspaper he sketches skelet
tries to cry but that ancient feeling
evaporates in the loud headline of the sun - instead
he makes some coffee in the bitter realization
the world wants to know nothing of his dying

He crawls out of his watch into his clothes
shaves and sees in the mirror
someone rubbing his hands together
ready to strike, to intervene
in constellations and charts.

Translation: Scott Rollins
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