12-10-2010

De Oanwiisfrou








…Doe’t der net ien myn kaartsje skuorde of bearde
net smoke – alle stuollen útsein de reade
begriep ik: de oanwiisfrou wie in deade.

In blêd mei ijsko’s bingele by har side del.
Har eagen hie se iepen en it hier wie noch snel
nei achteren bûn, foar de dea har foel op ‘t fel.

Ik makke op, út de kjeld fan har hûd,
de dea hie taslein wilens it reklamelûd
fan de Beerenburg. De lêsten, sûnder hazzekrûd,

drukten har de kaartsjes yn de hân,
skeuvelen by har earm del dy’t lei as yn linebân
mei gjin aan fan benijen of roppen as de brân.

Hja gienen sitten. Ik dûkte del yn de paadsjepoart
neist de oanwiisfrou. De laits fan in beferzen soart
koe myn stoarjen net stykje. Nei in hoart

foel ik yn sliep. Wat der doe barde wie nij -
doe’t ik wekker waard wie har lichem wei.
Dat nimmen it leauwe soe, wie de eangst dy’t op my lei.

Nei de film doarme ik noch wat by de doar
elts antlit dat ik seach, hâlde ik stiif my foar
en doe gie ik, mear koe ik net dwaan foar in oar.







The Usherette

...When no-one tore my ticket up or said
No smoking – any seats except the red
I realised the usherette was dead.

A tray of ice-creams dangled at her side.
Her eyes were open and her hair was tied
Up at the back, just like before she died.

I gathered, from the coldness of her skin,
Death had occurred during the Gordon’s Gin
Advertisement. Latecomers, trailing in,

Deposited their tickets in her palm
As, one by one, they passed her stiff, white arm
Showing no sign of interest or alarm.

They took their seats. I crouched down in the aisle,
Next to the usherette. Her frozen smile
Wouldn’t release my stare. After a while

I fell asleep. What happened next was weird –
When I woke up her corpse had disappeared.
Nobody would believe me now, I feared.

After the film I waited by the door
Trying to memorise each face I saw
And then I left, since I could do no more.




(from SOPHIE HANNAH “The Hero and the Girl Next Door” ; Carcanet 1995)
oersetting: Ruurdtsje de Haan