A fully grown woman
Tutoring a fully grown man
From South Sudan

In her baby voice
Toekan          Toe – Kan          Toooe – Kan
On emphatic repeat
He must after her    Twooo – Can

Neushoorn       Neus –Hoorn       Nose – Horn
Patient repeat
He’s a toddler now
Learning about exotic animals

Smiling to herself
Contratulating the quirkiness of her tongue
Not what this fully grown man needs at this time
Me thinks But what do I know
Kaaaas – schaaaf
What manner of delightful language shaves its cheese

She suggests he obtain a Stadspas
She knows the procedure now
With a Stadspas he can go to the zoo for free
She too would like to go to the zoo
See the animals herself

Educated idiot compassion believes she means no harm

Moeilijk      Moo – ie – luck     Muy – luck

I glance over several times
I can’t help it
I catch his eye

We’re both embarrassed

The infantilization
What is an indignation addict like me to do
This seems the only approved route

The wind shifts
Useful terms now
What she ate last night
Broccoli      broc – koo – lie      she measures

Op 16 maart vond in Perdu de 37ste editie plaats van Vers van het Mes. De komende tijd brengen we op ooteoote.nl van elk van de drie deelnemers enkele gedichten.

925 Foot Soldiers of Alleged Supremacy
Cole Verhoeven
75x50cm nitrocellulose en pigment op papier 2018