Farewell to my time - pipTalk Forums

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Titia Geertman
Member Ascendant

since 2001-05-07

Posts 5182
Netherlands

0 posted 2004-04-30 07:59 AM

As of today, I'm a free person in the sense of not having to go to work anymore. I'm retired and I thank my boss, the Government, for giving me this one time chance. In order to prevent the lay offs of younger people, they offered the older ones a pre-retirement and we get paid 70% of our salary until we're 65.
I'm 59 now and it didn't take me long to decide to take this oppertunity to be able to do the things I love most all day long. I wrote a farewell poem to my fellow colleagues, in Dutch of course (first part) and tried to translate it for you.

Afscheid van mijn tijd

Ben ik een dichter?
Ik weet het niet
maar altijd
voel ik woorden in mijn hoofd
totdat ik
in mijn rust
ze één voor één
een plek geef op papier
zoals hier
voor jou om te lezen

Ben ik een dichter
Als ik afscheid neem
gehakt
in korte zinnen
gelijk mijn adem stokt
in het zoeken naar een woord
passend in het gevoel
van dit moment
van gaan

Ben ik een dichter
Als ik 'missen'
met een glimlach
ombuig naar
herinnering
aan twintig passen heen
twintig passen terug
de tijdsduur
van een peuk
terwijl de wind
je haren
waait
en ik geen
juiste plaats vind
voor het woord
ambtenaar

Laat mij dan als dichter
afscheid nemen
van mijn tijd als ambtenaar

Farewell to my time

Am I a poet?
I don't know
but always
I feel words in my head
disordered
untill
in my rest
I place them on paper
one by one
like I did here
for you to read

Am I a poet?
when I say farewell
chopped
in short sentences
like my breath caught
in search for words
suitable
in the sensation
of this
moment
of leaving

Am I a poet
when I
bend the word 'missing'
with a smile
into remembrance
of twenty paces forth
twenty paces back
the duration
of a fag
while the wind
blows
your hair
and I
seem not to find
a proper place
for the word
civil servant

Then, as a poet
let me say farewell
to my time
as civil servant

we weren't allowed to smoke inside the office and had to go outside into the parking place.
I liked my work while it lasted, but I never could see myself as the 'civil servant' (ministry of finance/tax department)because in that world of buraucracy, I always felt like an outsider.

I am a happy girl

Like scattered leaves...my words will flow

LeeJ
Member Patricius

since 2003-06-19

Posts 13296

1 posted 2004-04-30 08:10 AM

well, congratulations...now you will have the time fulfill those dreams you never had time for. A very good write...know how you feel...they are doing the same thing where I work, giving us more mature people a package to leave.

Wishing you the best...happy free person!!!!! Hugs Lee J.

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

2 posted 2004-04-30 08:31 AM

Titia, it was so good to hear from you last evening and realize I know yet one more person who is embarking on a whole new life! Congratulations, again! I have a feeling we're going to be getting a lot more poetry AND artwork from you - which will ultimately make OUR days a whole lot brighter!

Enchantress
Member Empyrean

since 2001-08-14

Posts 35113
Canada eh.

3 posted 2004-04-30 09:39 AM

Wow! Congrautlation Titia!!
Good for you....and now you can do pretty well as you please.
I too hope to see more poetry and your artwork.
Hugs~

~I love you - those three words have my life in them.~

Susan Caldwell
Member Rara Avis

since 2002-12-27

Posts 8348
Florida

4 posted 2004-04-30 09:44 AM

Congratulations!

"cast me gently into the morning, for the night has been unkind"
~Sarah McLachlan~

Marge Tindal

Member Empyrean

since 1999-11-06

Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores

5 posted 2004-04-30 10:54 AM

Titia~
You sweetheart you !

Now that the work monster is off your back, you can finish that fabulous house remodeling project, write more and more poetry and share the excitement of finding poet-words in that pretty head of yours~

Love you~
*Huglets*
~*Marge*~

~*When the heart grieves over what it has lost,
the spirit rejoices over what it has left.
- Sufi epigram <))><

noles1@totcon.com

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced