..................................................................................................................................................
The Poetry Of.
Jan Oskar Hansen.................................
Rainy Days
In Rotterdam 1974 it was pissing down all
winter long damp streets and rusting canal
railings but in windows flowers smiled.
Dressed in a black overcoat carrying an
open winged stygian umbrella I must have
looked like an avenging angel from
the netherworld; and to think that I was here
because I was in love.
I walked for miles and for weeks but always
ended up outside the same narrow merchants
house, stirring of a lace curtain but she never
come out to greet me. I must have been mad
suffering the crippling disease of unrequited
love and lips that never smiled. Bought, in
April, a bouquet of tulips gave it to my landlady
and took the train back home.
Decision
This is not the best of times, but it's all
that I've got. Too many days have gone
and in women's eyes I do not exist and
the future is a day-by-day negotiation.
Much time wasted I sense that I've not
done what I came here for. Fireman or
police constable I'm still undecided.
Cookery Program
A bland river of words is splashing out
of the T.V. words that have lost any
possible meaning just human noise like
shrieking like false laughter hurting
the inner ear. Dragged out and dumped
on the lawn by the gurgling current of
banality. Now I'm a trout fished up from
a muddy river; fry me if you must but
switch off the telly first and use the best
olive oil and don't forget to fill me with
parsley and garlic.
