Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

John Ashbery

THIS ROOM

DEZE KAMER

De kamer die ik binnentrad was een droom van deze kamer.
Ongetwijfeld waren al die voeten op de bank van mij.
Dat ovale portret
van een hond was ik op jonge leeftijd.
Iets glinstert, iets is in de doofpot gestopt.
 
We aten elke dag macaroni als lunch
behalve zondags, wanneer een kleine kwartel werd overgehaald
om aan ons te worden opgediend. Waarom vertel ik je deze dingen?
Je bent niet eens hier.

THIS ROOM

The room I entered was a dream of this room.
Surely all those feet on the sofa were mine.
The oval portrait
of a dog was me at an early age.
Something shimmers, something is hushed up.
 
We had macaroni for lunch every day
except Sunday, when a small quail was induced
to be served to us. Why do I tell you these things?
You are not even here.
Close

THIS ROOM

The room I entered was a dream of this room.
Surely all those feet on the sofa were mine.
The oval portrait
of a dog was me at an early age.
Something shimmers, something is hushed up.
 
We had macaroni for lunch every day
except Sunday, when a small quail was induced
to be served to us. Why do I tell you these things?
You are not even here.

THIS ROOM

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
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