Rutger Kopland's poem XIV

Tribute to Rutger Kopland (1934-2012)

For quite a while I have admired the poem "XIV" by Rutger Kopland. A few days after I had finished making this song from his poem, I heard the news that he had died at the age of 77. I dedicate this song to him. One can sing the poem to the song, but I thought of your mental sanity and in the end made it a song with unsung words.

XIV

 

Ga nu maar liggen liefste in de tuin,

de lege plekken in het hoge gras, ik heb

altijd gewild dat ik dat was, een lege

plek voor iemand, om te blijven

And my very literal English translation which cannot be sung to the song
(translations of poetry should not be attempted by amateurs like me ;) )

XIV

 

Now go lie down, my love, into the garden,

the empty spots in the tall grass, I've

always wanted to be just that, an empty

spot for someone, to stay

Years ago, I commented on Fred Tak's blog that I read the poem as a kind of elegy, and not as a kind of love poem (the traditional interpretation). This interpretation now makes even more sense to me. May my song become an empty spot for him to stay.