VIII.

VIII.

 

En samen in een modderpoel liggen
samen de modder over onze lichamen uitsmeren
en samen in de zon liggen tot onze lichamen (en de modder!)
hard worden en afbrokkelen als wij opstaan
en als we opstaan hebben we geen lichamen meer
en moeten we ons verstoppen als krabben zonder schild
tussen de palen overladen met vastgekoekte schelpen
grijs en blauw en groen koraal en zingende mosselen

 

VIII.

 

And lying in a mud pool together

smearing mud all over our bodies together

and lying in the sun together until our bodies (and the mud!)

begin to set and crumble as we get back up

and when we’re up our bodies aren’t ours

and we must hide like huskless crabs

between the wooden poles caked with seashells

gray and blue and green coral and singing mussels

Translation: David Colmer

VIII.

 

Et ensemble dans un bourbier

ensemble barbouillant nos corps de boue ensemble

sous le soleil jusqu’à ce que nos corps (et la boue !)

durcissent puis s’effritent quand nous nous levons

et quand nous nous levons n’ayant plus de corps

nous devons nous cacher tels des crabes sans carapace

entre les pieux encroûtés de coquillages

gris bleus vert corail et des moules qui chantent

 

 

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