Olivier Cousin, Bretton Poet on Belgian radio

When at the Small Festival of European Poetry Olivier Cousin and Bart Stouten met, it felt as if two long lost brothers found each other. Tonight on radio Klara in De Tuin van Eden, Bart will in his unique way present some of the poetry of Olivier as translated into Dutch by Paul Gellings. The music too will be great. 7pm till 8pm:
if you have to miss it tonight you can find it  for a while in 'herbeluisteren'.

I am sharing a poem from Sounds of Harbor II in French and English

sms:foto duisburg 2010

 Rêve blanc

Départ demain pour Arkhangelsk

sans collision ni tâtonnements

Je saurai éviter le bois flotté

pour atteindre le port de l’archange blanc

Une belle blonde m’y attend

Pour briser la glace

une bière blanche au soleil de la nuit

Le poète cherche son âme dans chaque port

sa forme, une étoile à sept branches

J’ai le mal de mer

mes roubles n’ont plus cours aujourd’hui

je suis marié

mes illusions poétiques ne valent pas un kopeck

Arkhangelsk m’attendra

*

  White dream

Departure tomorrow for Arkhangelsk

without collisions or hesitations

I'll know how to avoid the driftwood

to reach the harbor of the white archangel                       

A pretty blonde waits for me there                                               

To break the ice

a white beer in the night's sun

The poet looks for his soul in every port

Its form, a seven pointed star

I am seasick

there is no exchange rate for my roubles today

I am married

my poetic illusions aren't worth a kopeck

Arkhangelsk will wait for me

  English: Annmarie Sauer