Sande psalm
Lit alle minsken harren ferbliidzje mei in boa fan seis meter dy’t de beam en de stien losser makket en kringelet as in tou fan rubber.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de Algemiene Postmaster dy’t yn Washington oan syn buro sit en troanjes op de postsegels tekenet.
De gier meibringe dy’t út ’e wolken wei op ies loert.
Lof jaan oan de spin dy’t út har teannen wei in stêd bout.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de Japanske kever, dy’t him te goed docht oan roazebledsjes, dy huningmûltsjes.
Harren ferbliidzje mei Peter Pan, dy’t fleanend goud bringt nei de krokodil.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de see-otter, dy’t op har rêch driuwt en har jong op har búk meidraacht.
Lof jaan mei de kreeft, dy’t de almeugende oppepper is en noch altyd in woldied foar de tonge.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de oester, dy’t feilich yn syn stege skulp leit en libben iten wurde kin.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de pandabear, dy’t himsels in krûpke jout.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de kakkerlak, ferspijd ûnder de skepsels, dy’t dochs syn ûneachlike plak gund wurdt.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de ansjofisk, dy’t yn en út salades flitst.
Lof jaan mei de seepok, dy’t himsels oan de rots fêstkit en him troch de weagen grien guod fiede lit.
Lof jaan mei de walfisk, dy’t in grut waarm thús reemakket foar Jonas en him tastiet syn eigen skilderijen op te hingjen.
Lof jaan mei de drúf, want leavjenden sille se drage op harren teannen.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de jirpel, dy’t in swiete frijer is en makke fan ingelematrassen.
Harren ferbliidzje mei de brokkoly, want it is in rûge reagebol dy’t maklik de mûle yngiet.
Lit Christopher en Anne harren ferbliidzje mei Winston Churchill en syn waarme en kâlde Blitz.
Lit harren ferbliidzje mei de speedboat dy’t foarbysjit en wite strepen achter him lit en sa fan de see even in tennisbaan makket.
Seventh Psalm
Let all rejoice with a boa whose twenty feet loosen the tree and the rock and coil like a rubber rope.
Rejoice with the Postmaster General who sits at his desk in Washington and draws faces on the stamps.
Bring forth the vulture who is a meat watcher from the clouds.
Give praise with the spider who builds a city out of her toes.
Rejoice with the Japanese beetle who feasts on rose petals, those mouths of honey.
Rejoice with Peter Pan who flies gold to the crocodile.
Rejoice with the sea otter who floats on her back and carries her young on her tummy.
Give praise with the lobster who is the almighty picker-upper and is still fine to the tongue.
Rejoice with the oyster who lies safely in his hard-nosed shell and who can be eaten alive.
Rejoice with the panda bear who hugs himself.
Rejoice with the roach who is despised among creatures and yet allowed his ugly place.
Rejoice with the anchovy who darts in and out of salads.
Give praise with the barnacle who cements himself to the rock and lets the waves feed him green stuff.
Give praise with the whale who will make a big warm home for Jonah and let him hang his very own pictures up.
Give praise with the grape for lovers will wear them on their toes.
Rejoice with the potato which is a sweet lover and made of angel-mattresses.
Rejoice with broccoli for it is a good bush-of-a-face and goes nicely in the mouth.
Let Christopher and Anne rejoice with Winston Churchill and his hot and cold Blitz.
Let them rejoice with the speedboat that skims by, leaving white lines behind it, making the sea a tennis court for a minute.
O Ye Tongues [VII], út The Death Notebooks, 1974
Winston Churchill – Miskien (ek) in ferwizing nei Sexton har heit, Ralph Churchill Harvey (1900–1959).