Sara Curfs, auteur op Sara's Stories

Zeeland

Mijn bed is zacht
Dus ik wacht, geduldig zittend op de bedrand
In gedachten met mijn voeten in het strandzand
Van Domburg

Iemand zoals jij is raar
Want jij kijkt naar, de dingen die niet mooi zijn
Waarom hoor ik daarbij, op jouw ideeëneiland
Van Domburgs strandzand

Wij zullen gaten graven
En met maatstaven, kijken wie het beste is
De Zeeuwse lucht blaast fris door onze huid
Bij ons tweede thuis

Duw mij in het zand
Begraaf mijn linkerhand, mijn been totdat mijn kop
Het enige is wat nog enigszins rechtop, bovenkomt
Verslindende zandgrond

Het dilemma tussen kiezen
Of ik je hier wil verliezen of dan toch niet hier
Op schelpweg nummer 1, bewonersaantaal meer dan twee
Wegrennend naar mijn zee

Mijn bed is koud
Handen waarvan jij niet houdt, zoeken houvast
Hou me vast op de dijk van Domburg, op dat bankje
Ik bedank je

Ik bedank je
Voor zonsondergangen waarin we, een strandhuisje huurden
En stiekem gluurden, over het strandzand, vol scherpe schelpen
Help me

Hou mijn handje vast
Terwijl ik de leegheid aftast
En gretig zoek naar iets wat jij niet hebt gezien
En dus van mij is

Welk deel van mij
Heb jij nog niet gevoeld, met zachte lippen spreek je
Dat dit niet is wat je bedoelt, dit is geen liefde
Liefje

Je gooit verkeerde namen
En verzameld nog de moed het goed te praten
Omdat ik altijd zeg dat haatten een sterk woord is
En ik toch niet sterk ben?

Het strandzand brandt
Onder mijn voet belandt de een of ander schelp
De scherven snijden in mijn huid maar dit keer
Wil ik geen help

MET DIT GEDICHT ZAL IK DEELNEMEN AAN KUNSTBENDE YOUNG CREATORS FESTIVAL IN DE KROMHOUTHAL TE AMSTERDAM OP 26 JUNI 2022, OM LIMBURG TE REPRESENTEREN IN EEN WEDSTRIJD TUSSEN JONGE DICHTERS VAN ALLE PROVINCIES.

A Sinner’s Mind

To those I’ve wronged, I bow my head
I’ll cover your graves with flowers and life
I know you wanted me dead instead
My sins cut like a sharpened knife

I can’t forget the lives I stained
For they are gone and I grieve their loss
Fire turns treacherous if not trained
And thus I hang on Jerusalem’s cross

The faces of the men I send to their death
Haunt my nightmares once I close my eyes
The burning red flames of my last breath
An answer to their endless cries

And with that breath I free my soul
It flees my skin and in the sky it’ll dance
Enjoying life before the end of it all
Perhaps to be given a second chance

Sir Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and later from 1951 up till 1955. At this time he was a member of the Conservative Party.

He considered Gallipoli the greatest tragedy of his political career (which is what the poem describes). As Britain’s lord of admiralty (secretary of the navy), he made the fateful decision to attack Turkey on its Dardanelles coast, specifically at Gallipoli during the early days of the First World War. The failed campaign led to the humiliation of the British. Churchill was dismissed from his cabinet position, excluded from the War Council, and allowed no hand in the further conduct and administration of the war.

The Apocalypse

Four horseman stood before God’s creation
They cursed the sky for what they’d done
These men were under no obligation
But fought so He’d tell them they’d won

Conquest rode towards the Lord’s men
A steady stance as he’d been taught
They didn’t know when they’d be back again
And for what, if not peace, they fought

War cunningly outstretched his bony hand
To congratulate the human race
He greeted them all as a long lost friend
Bowing down with grace

The soldiers shook their head aside
Conquest nor War could make them stray
They all knew that once they died
God had in it all the final say

Famine marched as the victor already
For he’d seen the hunger in their eyes
They all wobbled on their feet, unsteady
Ignoring other’s pleading cries

Lastly came Death, dressed in army green
A sudden wave of sadness washed down
Most of these faces he’d already seen
And had ignored them with a frown

He knew that what he stood for
Was something recognizable to all
It was with the heavy name he bore
He choose which one would fall

The man were not startled as he joined in
They had all met Death once or twice
They greeted the horseman with a soft grin
For he’d unraveled God’s lies

Background information: The four horsemen of the apocalypse are four biblical figures who appear in the Book of Revelation. They are revealed by the unsealing of the first four of the seven seals. Each of the horsemen represents a different facet of the apocalypse: conquest, war, famine, and death.
In this poem each horseman talks to a group of soldiers, trying to sway them into joining their side in what they think to be the new apocalypse: the Second World War.

Zwemdiploma

De duisternis is overweldigend
Vastgeketend aan mijn bureaustoel kijk ik hoe de golf zijn dodelijke opmars maakt
Met het zachte geluid van mijn biologie docent in de achtergronden wacht ik
Bedelf me, geef me rust
Verslind me in geruisloze golfen waar niemand aan me komt
Geef me oneindigheid nu, vlak voordat de afgrond nadert en ik val

Schuifelend loop ik naar buiten, ogen gericht op mijn tsunami van verdriet en pijn
Het is bijna poëtisch, hoe ik sta en wacht om te verdrinken
Ik heb me erbij neergelegd dat het ooit moest gebeuren
Bedelf me, verdrink me, duw mijn hoofd onder water en scheur me in stukken
Laat me weten hoe het is iets anders te voelen dan leegte
Overheers het statische geluid in mijn hoofd, het brommen van mijn computer, de politici die grote woorden naar mijn hoofd slingeren en me vastketenen achter mijn bureau

Meters hoog torent de golf boven me, ik kijk snakkend naar de sterren
Kleine druppels vallen op mijn tenen, over mijn wangen en langs mijn gezicht
Vlak voor de golf mij kan bedekken schiet ik wakker

“Dus, wat betekend nou transcriptie, Sara?”
Het waren enkel tranen, een geruisloze schreeuw om hulp die niemand ooit kon horen
“Het vormen van DNA, mevrouw”

Bevrijdingsfestival 2021 “Freedom Should be Free”

On the fifth of May I was given the opportunity to open the Dutch television program dedicated to the liberation of The Netherlands. However, at the time of the program, I was still on a short break about 300kms away! But my dad, the lifesaver he is, drove from one side of the country to the other for me and accompanied me on this new journey.

Because I had never taken part in anything related to live television, this was super scary! Once I arrived at the scene I was greeted by a heartwarming crew and four big camera’s facing my way… quite an intimidating sight.

We did a few takes a couple of hours before going “on air”, I messed up quite horrendously the first three tries. Together with the moral support of MALA (the singer and guitarist playing her song “Freedom Should Be Free” as I quoted my poem) and one of the camera crew (the whole crew was really nice to be honest, but he gave off a true dad-vibe, the “you got this, kid!”-one) I managed to get it right and we continued practicing to get it perfect.

There’s nothing scarier than going live, the countdown, the last few seconds before the big event, the camera’s pointing at you and you stiffening as you realize you can’t make a single mistake. It was a very very scary experience and yet I enjoyed every second of it!

When it came to it, MALA and me aced the take and later joined the host Fabienne Nijsten for a short interview. After that a long drive back to the rest of the family it was, and we safely arrived, dad and myself very tired, at midnight.

You can watch the full interview here!

https://l1.nl/freedom-should-be-free-164194/

Kunstbende Finale 2020

Back when I won Kunstbende Voorronde I knew I would have to represent my province in the national finale. I just didn’t know what a day it would be.

Due to COVID-19 it wasn’t a big event as it usually was, which was quite a bummer but I was more than happy that they decided to prevail, of course with all the rules still being upheld and followed. My dad (my biggest supporter for the past two years) and myself drove about three hours to the other edge of the country for the event and got there about an hour early.

We met a few other people representing Limburg, talked for a bit and had a snack before we walked into the house were I were to perform. What I didn’t know was that people could send in roses with messages to uplift the contesters spirit, and my dad told everyone he knew about this which meant I had a rose with 20 cards!!!

After that I followed backstage and waited nervously for my performance while I chatted with the host. Backstage the ambience is the best! Everyone from the Kunstbende team are absolute heroes to me!

I did my performance, a poem about my last relationship, a poem dedicated to my grandmother who passed away due to dementia early 2018 and a poem about the Second World War (how could I not?). The judges seemed to be really happy with my performance, they liked my accent and the sentences I used. Feeling as though I had just conquered the world, I went back home after a good bag of fries and a hot chocolate.

On the following thuisday people were driving through the country to visit the winners and surprise them with gifts. Three amazing ladies won, and even though I did not, I felt like a winner all the same. It was an amazing experience.

I’ll be competing again upcoming March (hopefully in person, if COVID-19 calms down) and instead will read my Dutch poetry, because many judges (the ones in the Voorrondes and finale) like to hear their own language more, of course. After that I’ll see what I’m going to do. I’ll keep everyone posted.

Kunstbende 2020

On the 18th of October I had the honour of participating in Kunstbende Limburg Voorronde. The video is my performance which won me first place. This means I have to perform in my capital, Amsterdam, on the 7th of November. I wanted to perform more like the sixteen-year-old I sometimes forget I am, instead of the Second World War persona I usually perform as. But I couldn’t read poems without including where it all started, could I now?

I Don’t Know if I’ll Ever be Enough

I apologise for all the tears
The sleepless nights and broken heart
The silence and the screaming
The six feet apart

I apologise for your self hatred
The sadness that I’ve brought you
The unspoken words and held back truth
Sorry for the hell we’ve been through

Sorry for the times I didn’t hold you
Or the days I forgot to show my love
Sorry for the good memories
Or more, the lack thereof

Sorry that I forgot to care
And sorry for the days I cared too much
Sorry that I can’t feel your hug
Or your sweet touch

I’m sorry that I’m not there right now
And words will have to do
But don’t question my feelings
And the love I have for you

Inspired by the song ultimately by khai dreams

Brave

If tears could whisper words
To the one who seems to fall
Would any living person
Even dare to cry at all?

For facing your sadness
Might be scarier than you’d think
Hearing the water that stains your cheeks
Every time you blink

It’s the fear of knowing
What you’ve actually known before
But having to hear it
Breaks a heart up to its core

For words turn something blurry
Into something that seems real
And at the end the human fears
That what it could feel

Peter Fechter was 18 years old when he tried to escape East Germany and start his new life in the west. He and his friend tried to escape, until Peter was lethally shot. All took place in front of hundreds of people (soldiers, journalists etc). They left him there, right where he fell, for when someone tried to help him, they’d be shot too. And no one could reach him without going down the same path Peter Fechter hadn’t survived. So there he lay, dying, in front of everyone. After about an hour, he passed away. Once he did, an East German soldier picked up his body, and carried him back to East Berlin, where he had so desperately tried to escape from.

Basic Info

Hello there! My name is Sara Curfs, I’m a teenage writer who reads her poetry on the Second World War (all written by myself). I do so in the uniform of a nurse during this time period.

You can hire me to read at your events. Please message me through the email in “contact” and let me know the details! Know that I am based in the south of The Netherlands.

Here are some pictures to show what I do and how I look. They are all from the period 2019-2021