Tr Donald Gardner
I learned one language after another
the one of the decent clothes
that makes up somewhat for your skin
of the words that are perfectly groomed
that would somewhat seem to forgive you

the language of the head held high and the straight back
and pretending
no one can touch you
the language of who does she think she is
who do I think I am

the language of love me in spite of this body
the language of love me because of this body
of get your fingers out of my hair
only the wind may go through it
get your fingers out of my mouth
I keep my tongue in my chest

the language that separates the mouth from the heart
the heart from the blood
the blood from the bones
filing cabinets of lost narratives
in which you sometimes
come across yourself
in the echo of a distant ancestor
the language that sings your soul back home

the language so naked
it gives you nothing to cover yourself with

but the one I love most is
the language that lays me as bare
as my skin allows

Babs Gons is a writer and performing poet. She is the Poet Laureate of The Netherlands from 2023 until 2025 and she won several prices for her work. Starting in 2000, she organized Palabras, a monthly stage for young poets and writers in Paradiso, for almost ten years and she was artistic director of the national organization Poetry Circle for many years. She performs her work at festivals, in museums, debate centers and libraries, recites on radio and television and has traveled with her work all over the world.