SAND Poem by Marije Langelaar

I woke up that year on the beach
my bird body
emaciated.

I was shocked to see my boyfriend lying beside me.
Completely made of sand.
Gently began to bury him.

He put up no resistance
came several times in a row but totally
misplaced I felt lonely
in the meantime.

I called animals to me and children:
they helped dig, mechanically or
determinedly some of them following an inner calling.

We found many things, objects, substances
the filthiest things and also a word
stuck in the sand brains, shaking slightly.
I took it between my fingers
we formed a circle and studied the word
which was still in a primordial state.
It hadn't yet been pronounced, was unformed but it was almost
we could feel it on a sensory level.
I held his hands, in so far as that was possible, as
we all began to say in unison
the word that had been so deeply hidden and in a primordial state
inside him.
And slowly repeating it and the dogs barking
in support and the wind unrelenting
his eyes began to glisten and
finally he awoke.