De Nederlandse dichter Erik Menkveld werd geboren op 25 april 1959 in Eindhoven. Zie ook alle tags voor Erik Menkveld op dit blog.
Hartegrond
Zie ons hier succesvol staan: door alle netten gevlogen draagster van petrolblauwe rok en lila lijfje dat haar borsten als een openstaande bloemenkelk omhult, schijnkindermondig in gesprek met sprankelend scherp stuk in deux-pièce, cape'je van changéant roze-oranje organza, verantwoord geile zijsplit, trots op haar tong - twee kakelgrage, fraai op de kwetsbare buikzijde uitgelichte braniekarkassen, onzelfinzichtig klaar om tor-achtig danwel voormalig jumbolog door te taxiën naar het gemoedelijk gekraak van openbrekende oesterschelpen of ander gepraat. O zelden geherbergde hartegrond! O langvervlogen carrièrebegin met zelfverkozen damescolbert over bureaustoel en uitzicht op kleine door glas omgeven binnenplaats, Japanse naaldbomen, witte keien, fonteintje...
Goede tips voor dieper zwijgen
Nuttig een maaltijd samen aan zee. Leg de Tractatus gesloten op tafel. Laat de intieme ovalen van jullie longen zich enkele malen vullen met avond en onverrichterzake leeglopen door keel en mond. Overdenk uitvoerig kwesties als waarom zijn wij niet vierkant of stom? Of: wat is, op dit moment, de langzaamste vis? En: moet je water dat hem bevat maar niet kan tonen beklagen? Beantwoord dan alle door de ander niet gestelde vragen.
Erik Menkveld (25 april 1959 - 30 maart 2014)
De Amerikaanse dichter Ted Kooser werd geboren op 25 april 1939 in Ames, Iowa. Zie ook alle tags voor Ted Kooser op dit blog.
The China Painters
They have set aside their black tin boxes, scratched and dented, spattered with drops of pink and blue; and their dried-up, rolled-up tubes of alizarin crimson, chrome green, zinc white, and ultramarine; their vials half full of gold powder; stubs of wax pencils; frayed brushes with tooth-bitten shafts; and have gone in fashion and with grace into the clouds of loose, lush roses, narcissus, pansies, columbine, on teapots, chocolate pots, saucers and cups, the good Haviland dishes spread like a garden on the white lace Sunday cloth, as if their souls were bees and the world had been nothing but flowers.
Turkey Vultures
Circling above us, their wingtips fanned like fingers, it is as if they were smoothing
one of those tissue-paper sewing patterns over the pale blue fabric of the air,
touching the heavens with leisurely pleasure, just a word or two called back and forth,
taking all the time in the world, even though the sun is low and red in the west, and they
have fallen behind with the making of shrouds.
Ted Kooser (Ames, 25 april 1939)
De Engelse dichter, schrijver, criticus en letterkundige James Fenton werd geboren op 25 april 1949 in Lincoln. Zie ook alle tags voor James Fenton op dit blog.
Hinterhof
Stay near to me and I’ll stay near to you - As near as you are dear to me will do, Near as the rainbow to the rain, The west wind to the windowpane, As fire to the hearth, as dawn to dew.
Stay true to me and I’ll stay true to you - As true as you are new to me will do, New as the rainbow in the spray, Utterly new in every way, New in the way that what you say is true.
Stay near to me, stay true to me. I’ll stay As near, as true to you as heart could pray. Heart never hoped that one might be Half of the things you are to me - The dawn, the fire, the rainbow and the day.
The Alibi
My mind was racing. It was some years from now. We were together again in our old flat. You were admiring yourself adjusting your hat. ‘Oh of course I was mad then,’ you said with a forgiving smile, ‘Something snapped in me and I was mad for a while.’ But this madness of yours disgusted me, This alibi, This gorgeous madness like a tinkling sleigh, It carried you away Snug in your fur, snug in your muff and cape. You made your escape Through the night, over the dry powdery snow. I watched you go. *** Truly the mad deserve our sympathy. And you were driven mad you said by me. And then you drove away, The cushions and the furs piled high, Snug with your madness alibi, Injured and forgiven on your loaded sleigh.
James Fenton (Lincoln, 25 april 1949)
De Engelse dichter Walter John de la Mare werd geboren op 25 april 1873 in Charlton, Kent. Zie ook alle tags voor Walter John de la Mare op dit blog.
The Seas Of England
The seas of England are our old delight: Let the loud billow of the shingly shore Sing freedom on her breezes evermore To all earth’s ships that sailing heave in sight!
The gaunt sea-nettle be our fortitude, Sturdily blowing where the clear wave sips; O, be the glory of our men and ships Rapturous, woe unheeding hardihood!
There is great courage in a land that hath Liberty guarded by the unearthly seas; And ev’n to find peace at the last in these How many a sailor hath sailed down to death!
Their names are like a splendour in an old song; Their record shines like bays along the years; Their jubilation is the cry man hears Sailing sun-fronted the vast deeps among.
The seas of England are our old delight: Let the loud billow of the shingly shore Sing freedom on her breezes evermore To all earth’s ships that sailing heave in sight!
The Three Strangers
Far are those tranquil hills, Dyed with fair evening's rose; On urgent, secret errand bent, A traveller goes.
Approach him strangers three, Barefooted, cowled; their eyes Scan the lone, hastening solitary With dumb surmise.
One instant in close speech With them he doth confer: God-sped, he hasteneth on, That anxious traveller….
I was that man — in a dream: And each world's night in vain I patient wait on sleep to unveil Those vivid hills again.
Would that they three could know How yet burns on in me Love — from one lost in Paradise — For their grave courtesy.
Walter John de la Mare (25 april 1873 – 22 juni 1956)
De Duitse dichter en schrijver Richard Anders werd geboren op 25 april 1928 in Ortelsburg, tegenwoordig Szczytno, Polen. Zie ook alle tags voor Richard Anders op dit blog.
Ikarus
Ikarus hob ab 0hne einen Blick zurück auf den in die Tiefe stürzenden Palast des Minos zu werfen Er fixierte die Sonne Von der verschiedenartige Strahlen ausgingen Auf deren hellsten sein Körper wie auf Schienen nach oben raste Ein nadeldünner fuhr ihm durchs Herz das Feuer fing ohne ernsthaft zu brennen Andere spießten sein Gehirn auf das unter dieser plötzlichen elektrischen Aufladung hemmungslos zu assoziieren begann Die Neuuonen trieben es promiskuitiv wie Karnickel Mal formierten sich himmlische Objekte zu Truppen von Würfeln Oktaedern Rhomboedern Rhombendodekaedern Mal suppte alles ins Grenzenlose Sein Gehirn verdaute die Wirklichkeit unter Beimengungen pränataler Phantasie Aus dem Sonnenloch über ihm sprang eine Feuerfrau deren Peitschenhaar seinen Kopf Auf dem Hals wie ein Kreisel rotieren ließ Während sie ihm aus dem tropfenden Wachs die Federn rupfte Dampf endlich ab knallte das Haar ihm in die Ohren ohne daß er daraus Konsequenzen zog und seinen Kurs korrigierte Im Gegenteil Seine durchgeknallten Ohren schwollen zu riesigen Trichtern an um besser die Musik der Sphären zu hören Seine Extase ließ ihn nicht merken daß er nach dem Wegschmelzen der Flügel wie ein Sack voller Steine nach unten stürzte Als sein Schädel schließlich bei Samos aufs harte Wasser prallte glaubte sein Hirn In die Sonne zu tauchen
Richard Anders (25 april 1928 - 24 juni 2014)
De Engelse essayist en diplomaat Sir William Temple werd geboren in Londen op 25 april 1628. Zie ook alle tags voor Willam Temple op dit blog.
Uit: Observations upon the United Provinces of the Netherland
“HOLLAND, Zealand, Friezland, and Groninguen, are seated upon the Sea, and make the Strength and Greatness of this State: The other three, with the Conquered Towns in Brabant, Flanders, and Cleve, make only the Out-works or Frontiers, ser∣ving chiefly for safety and defence of these. No man can tell the strange and mighty Changes that may have been made in the face and bounds of Maritime Countreys, at one time or other, by furious Inundations, upon the unusual concurrence of Land-Floods, Winds and Tides; And therefore no man knows whether the Province of Holland may not have been in some past Ages, all Wood and rough une∣qual ground, as some old Traditions go; And level'd to what we see, by the Sea's breaking in and continuing long upon the Land; since recovered by its recess, and with the help of In∣dustry. For it is evident, that the Sea for some space of years, advances con∣tinually upon one Coast, retiring from the opposite; and in another Age, quite changes this course, yeilding up what it had seized, and seizing what it had yeilded up, without any reason to be given of such contrary motions. But I suppose this great change was made in Holland, when the Sea first parted England from the Continent, breaking through a neck of Land be∣tween Dover and Calais; Which may be a Tale, but I am sure is no Re∣cord. It is certain, on the contrary, that Sixteen hundred years ago, there was no usual mention or memory of any such Changes; and that the face of all these Coasts, and nature of the Soil, especially that of Holland, was much as it is now, allowing only the Improvements of Riches, Time, and In∣dustry; Which appears by the descripti∣on made in Tacitus both of the limits of the Isle of Batavia, and the nature of the Soil as well as the Climate, and the very names of Rivers still remaining.”
William Temple (25 april 1628 – 27 januari 1699)
De Engelse dichter en predikant John Keble werd geboren op geboren 25 april 1792 in Fairford, Gloucestershire. Zie ook alle tags voor John Keble op dit blog.
Blest Are The Pure In Heart
Blest are the pure in heart, For they shall see our God; The secret of the Lord is theirs; Their soul is Christ’s abode.
The Lord, Who left the heavens Our life and peace to bring, To dwell in lowliness with men Their Pattern and their King.
Still to the lowly soul He doth Himself impart; And for His dwelling and His throne Chooseth the pure in heart.
Lord, we Thy presence seek; May ours this blessing be; Give us a pure and lowly heart, A temple meet for Thee.
John Keble (25 april 1792 - 29 maart 1866) Portret door George Richmond, 1845
Zie voor nog meer schrijvers van de 25e april ook mijn blog van 25 april 2016 en ook mijn blog van 25 april 2015 deel 2.
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