Nathalie Spaans


Dear H.,

I hope you are well, I want that to be sincere.

In 1860 a man named John Ruskin wrote in a letter he found penguins at present the only
comfort in life. I want the thought of animals inside me too. You wanted a Bernese Mountain
dog; it’s a great family dog.

I’m learning things like, literary devices should serve the text and not the other way round so
I’m allowed to say I like tangerines and that they’re my favorite and never mention them
again because we give              what we want          to receive and winds
don’t blow they suck:   1. in stationary cars
                                               2. in a club with my back against a wall
                                               3. on rooftop restaurants

                        ‘Du’

the only German that ever left your Disney mouth
you Freiherr,
you held my fucking hand.

I want to say it out loud, your name, your second name.
You were standing in front of me with your passport

I’m sorry,

                                                you were  
                                                                                in front of me

peeling. I’m sorry

                                                                the only animal I have

                is black and  white

      please
                                                you said you were the devil

 I fell
 
                                                    please                 . I’m sorry



                                                I love you


Nathalie Spaans (she/her)  lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and works in a cool museum. She likes to look at menus and other things on the threshold. In 2023 she made a chapbook called Event Horizon. Her work has appeared on the front page of the Open Arts Forum. You can find her online on chillsubs and instagram.