Valkenburg lake, October ‘98
An artificial lake at rush hour
water crashes against the wooden jetty
winter darkness coming
twenty meters from the shore
his shadow hovers.
As hurricane Mitch throws itself on Hondurans
and lightning scores an entire Congolese football team
– final result 1-1, opposing team unharmed –
provinces are flooded
Queen and notables flutter at farms dikes counties
topography;
flood in the Low Countries
sandbags at the door, but unlike you,
this control tower invited no storm of its own
just helicopters geese oystercatchers
small birds of prey and gliders
and one drowning surfer.