Cornelis van der Wal was the RIXT poet of the month in August. You can read his original Frisian poems from that month here. The translation of one of his poems – ‘The thrill of a chill’ – is published here.
The thrill of a chill
No thrill like a chill at summer’s end,
Broiling in my bed I long for an Ice Age.
As I speak to you, thin sweat covers my lips.
They should ban the sun,
but no politician is bold enough.
No more climate is what I say.
Slowly I turn into a hot, moist sponge.
Soon a heavy autumn storm will set me free.
Cold be thy name.
© Cornelis van der Wal
translation: Trevor Scarse