Babylon

Poem to be entered in the crazy tongues contest, hence the glossary

 

Babylon

 

Two bees try

That is the quest

 

De bitskoemer

Zooming into

The bloom

 

Hook all

Did eek

Nodding

 

To the point

 

The karakol

Is

Open

 

24/7

Angst

 

Eek will

A karakol

 

 

 

Glossary of foreign words, used phonetically in this poem:

Bitskoemer: beach cumber (Antwerp dialect)

Bloom: written bloem in Dutch, means both flower and ... flour.

Hook all: ook al (even) (Dutch)

Eek: ik, meaning I (Dutch)

Nodding: nothing (Antwerp dialect)

Karakol: Turkish, sometimes used to refer to the police station (in some parts of Turkey), in Dutch: an edible snail, sold at street stands or fairs…

Will: Dutch ‘wil’ means ‘want’

Author's Note

Please read the glossary, I used some words from my dialect, my native language and more to write a poem that contains English words which sound phonetically English, but have a totally different meaning in the original language

Reviews

[Kees Kapteyn]

hahah being Dutch i got a kick out of these dutch words! dutch is such a comical language- definitely not romantic , but also not percussive and severe like German. And indeed- in Babylon the punishment for the tower was the many different languages so no one could understand anyone else lol - ja goed, alles goed, groot mooi.

[Jane Doe]

I love how you used your native language to create this poem. It gives it a beauty and a mystery that makes it very unique. I enjoyed reading, thanks for sharing.

[Kimberly]

This is very cool. I love words and their slippery meanings and this poem is a celebration of that. Wonderful!

(By the way, I love the title. Perfect.)

A very curious form.

I liked how the words form, and I was staring at the poem in utter confusion.

I used the glossary and found the poem to be more enjoyable.

I would not want to see this poem in English, now that I enjoy its current form and choice of words.

Perhaps you can write more poems in such form, sooner of later, I will be able to speak Dutch as well!

Good piece.

[R J Askew]

This really appeals to me! karakol offers great scope for crossed wires! Can you imagine being taken to a snail stall when you really want to report a crime in the Ankara Kebab establishment!

I also am reminded of a time when on a holiday in Nl I raced down a beach on the Zuiderzee and did a spectacular racing dive into ... 3 inches of water.

Also I note your 'beach cumber' which sounds like a relation to the cucumber!

This mix-n-match language contest that you have set in motion is wonderful! Sadly being an Englishman, the only lanugage I know is English! Ach!

[DeAn]

cool, but I am sure it will leae a lot going huh? I don't get it. lol

like the intellect behind it.

great job.

l8r g8r
-Tao

[Michael X]

nice writing, a poem to reflect a meaning open to interpretation, the wording is written in simplistics
and in itself is easy to understand, as each word is designed to reflect a specific image which seems
the intent of this writing, the meaning struck me as comical, colorful and leaves one blissfully pondering,
i like the care put into the entire concept, strikes me as colorful and creative, thanks for sharing