January laziness

The afternoon drifted by us.
Calmly we sat,
both with our coffee,
no words needed
as we watched the clouds
and the winter birds pass.

Time to do nothing
but ponder how clouds
and birds come and go,
taking our thoughts
to go with them, from us,
forever and calmly away.
We drifted along with them
just for a bit
to see them off.

Then the phone rang
and the clouds moved on
into darkness.
But one wild goose
remained on a roof top
near a smoking chimney.

There is something to be said
for staying where it’s warm
on a cold Winter’s day
and let others carry away
all weary thoughts.

Arohanui, (Big Love) a poem by David Agnew

This poem was written by David Agnew, also known as Belfast David, and published in his lovely book “Belfast via Bedlam” and on his weblog Belfast David  where his books and this poem can also be found. The word (or 2 words 🙂 ) Arohanui is Maori and means something that translates best as  Big Love.

It now happens to be a word we both started to use in messages, on cards, in comments and emails and such to each other, and I think it describes mutual feelings of friendship in our case  🙂

Anyway, it is a very dear word to me and not just a phrase.

I did an attempt to translate the poem into Dutch:

Big love

I let the syllables reverberate
Across my tongue; its sound
Moves out, slides down
soft against my skin, touches
The ground and echoes back;
Surrounds, envelopes me in warmth
Comfort, security of love.

I draw you to me, let you
Put your head upon my shoulder,
Look into your eyes, see love therein.
Under my breath I speak the word;
Let its essence draw us both
Into a place of joy. No other word will do –

Arohanui.

Groot lief

Ik laat de lettergrepen vibreren
Over mijn tong; ‘t  geluid
Glijdt steeds lager
Zacht tegen mijn huid, en raakt
De grond en echoot terug;
Omgeeft,  omwikkelt me in warmte
Troostend ,  zekerheid van liefde.

Ik trek je bij me, laat je
Je hoofd op mijn schouder leggen,
Kijk in je ogen, zie liefde daarin,
Onder mijn adem spreekt het woord;
Laat zijn waarheid ons  brengen
Naar een plek van vreugde. Geen ander woord volstaat –

Arohanui

Cold surroundings

A layer of frost is hiding you,
cold surface waiting for the Sun
and it gets even colder now.

I wait for better moments.
For now everything’ s on hold,
only patience needed.

my small stone for the River of Stones January 29, see sidebar!