Candlemas

a new life...

was what I had in mind on this day, the day of candlemas,

a new life: trees recede as if they were strange to the forest,

all day long you waited until just one leaf unfolded, at last,

right out of its veins: saintlike resembling the one and the only.

I could refer to the bible, not fading away, for now, in my hands.

but it would tell you about a thousand virgin mary's(*), all alike.

so let us stay together now, in ancient nature, under cloudy skies,

hurrying towards sundown(**) looking like this was ages ago.

I made an appointment with the Other One. he said: after all these years,

celebrate easter vigil, whit sunday, even our-lady ascension, really soon.

Godenkind, 02-02-2017

Dutch version:

een nieuw leven...

was wat mij voor ogen stond, dag van maria-lichtmis,

een nieuw leven: bomen wijken uit het woud als was het ze vreemd,

dagen had je gewacht tot één blad zich ontvouwde

uit de nervatuur: het ware en het enige.

ik kan verwijzen naar de bijbel die niet verbleekt in mijn handen.

maar hij zou spreken van duizend maagd maria's(*), allen dezelfde.

laten we dus samenblijven, in oude natuur, een bewolkte hemel,

die haastig wegdrijft naar einders(**) van eeuwen geleden.

ik heb een afspraak met De Andere. hij zei: na al deze jaren,

vier de paaswake, pinksteren, zelfs maria hemelvaart, heel binnenkort.

Godenkind 02-02-2017

A Candlemas poem which I finished today after a difficult start with only one 1 line 2 days ago. But then I learned about how trump makes things happen right away and... all's well that ends well 🙈.

It is a mixed bag, because I was switching between Dutch/English all the time, Dutch being my native language.

(*)Actually, I'm not sure about the 'virgin mary' plural. (could be 'virgins mary'), not even in Dutch (could be 'maagden maria'). I assume there is only one Virgin Mary, but this is a grammatical issue, is it not?

(**)The Dutch version is different where I use the word "einders" which means "horizons" instead of the rather clumsy "zonsondergangen" which means "sundowns".

Anyway, what about some more pancakes now?

Photos: today at noon, a few blocks away from my house; one made through sunglasses.