The Civil Poetry of Jan Theuninck




TYNE COT 

 

when you left

for the front

you were

living heroes

and now

you’re on top

of the hill

where only

poppies

blow..........

 

Polygon Wood

 
like a shrine
you lie
in the middle
of the wood
and  warn 
of  those
who preach
peace
and make
war 

Silence !
 
don't try to be
who you are
 
silence !
 
some more discipline
and a cheerful face
 
silence !
 
your duty is sacred
work yourself to death
 
silence !
 
your only way
is  "their" way
 
silence !
 

Stalag Zehn B

the feldwebel became a general

the campdoctor , a professor

and we the jews - it’s banal

we stayed jewish - no error .

 

 

SHOA

wandering jew, damned jew

and no words on them are forbidden

suspected of crimes and treason

they have been put in jail

-

they have been tortured and murdered

in the name of an insane idea

and now - more than ever -

who is next, please ?

.

Yperite 

late at night

a mist

fills the valley.

without knowing

it suffocates

like a dark power.

on the fields

our dead bodies

and under the grass

a brown soil



Mauthausen 186   

                     
 
Stone by stone
 
we made a step
 
Step by step
 
we went to heaven.



All poetry by Jan Theuninck
copyrighted and used with permission

Artwork: Gnostic Serpent


 

Jan Theuninck was born (54.O6.O7) in Zonnebeke, Belgium. Also known under the pen name of ORC (°1954), a few of his poems became famous e.g. "Stalag Zehn B", "Papirac", "Yperite" ,"Tyne Cot" and "Shoa", which is an early warning against ideological hate .His native language is Dutch , but he writes in French , sometimes in English .His poetry has been translated in many languages and is offered in courses at different universities .Jan Theuninck's poetry has also appeared in  poetry journals and magazines in the US and abroad, among them: :Indiejournal, Poetry Super Highway, Poetry Repair Shop, The Muse Apprentice Guild,  Webdelsol,  Peshekee,  Megaera,  Noalibipress, Vlqpoetry,The moonwort review, Grotto-Depths, Poetry life and tmes, Planet authority, Motherbird,  etc.

 

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