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Nick J. Swarth: lousy spring song

Nick J. Swarth

luizig lenteliedje

 

Langs de ringbanen gaan de luiken open.

Hoera, er loopt weer tuig over straat.

Naar buiten met de hond, tijd om te lijnen.

Ik wil dat dit lied klinkt als een generaal pardon,

een hoera voor ‘skaeve huse’ en nieuwe pleinen,

voor sneeuwklok, hazelaar en gladiool.

 

Hoera voor nota en bestemmingsplan.

Hoera voor vuile handen maken, van de hoogste

verdieping naar beneden braken.

Leve de architect, leve de doorgewinterde bouwer

en de planoloog.

Stort je zaad in X-burgs aarde, klaar het karwei

dat niemand klaarde.

 

Zet de oudjes op de bus, gratis duurt het langst.

Hoera voor bange burgers, voor de eitjes van de

angst,

voor terroristen, trekvogels en opgehokte kippen.

Hoera voor benavelde lolita’s met bonte Breezers

aan getuite lippen.

 

O, en niet te vergeten:

Eén maal big mac menu, twee maal big mac

Eén maal mac chicken, negen maal nuggets

Eén maal happy meal kip en vier maal mayo

a.u.b.

 

 

Nick J. Swarth

lousy spring song

 

Along the ring roads the shutters are opening.

Hurrah, there are yobbo’s in the streets once more.

Walk the dog, time to ration our fare.

I want this song to sound like a general pardon,

a hurrah for ‘skaeve huse’ and new squares,

for snowdrop, hazel and gladiola.

 

Hurrah to invoice and zoning plan.

Hurrah to getting one’s hands dirty, puking down

from the topmost floor.

Long live the architect, long live the seasoned builder

and the town planner.

Sow your seed in X-burg’s soil, take to task

what nobody graced with toil.

 

Help the OAPs onto the bus – free rides last longest.

Hurrah to frightened citizens, to the eggs of fear,

to terrorists, migrant birds and cooped up chickens.

Hurrah to belly buttoned lolitas holding neon alcopops

to pouting lips.

 

Oh, and lest I forget:

One big mac meal, two big macs

One mac chicken meal, nine nuggets

One chicken happy meal and four sachets of ketchup

please

 

Translation: Willem Groenewegen

fleursdumal.nl magazine

More in: 4SEASONS#Spring, Archive G-H, Archive S-T, Archive S-T, Swarth, Nick J.

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