The writing on the wall

A two-in-one Blip today: the church (the Pauluskerk) on the left and the poem featured on the wall on the right of the photo.

Although in the centre of town, and at the tail end of a busy shopping street, this little corner seems a little off the beaten track. Quiet, compared to the hustle and bustle a little further up the road.

First things first: a church has been on this site since the mid-17th Century. The current building was built in 1823 and is of neo-Classical design. Apparently the Dutch King William II used to come to the services here, and had his own special pew.
Originally Protestant, the church officially changed over to Dutch Reformed in 1990.
I've never been inside, it always seems closed. Another thing to add to my to-do list :)

I love the poem on the wall, the white letters against the grey, the sentences suspended, following the pattern of a feather falling to the ground.
I love the oak tree in front of it, its branches framing the work beautifully.

Here's a translation of the poem:

Sparrows' ways

Have you ever felt that when people play with civilization
as if it's a game of dominos,
progression advances like a fluttering sparrow?

Me neither.
But try to imagine thousands of bricks in a dilapidated hall and then picture the sparrow; a feather in freefall, or even a blob of shit being released from his buttocks (not exactly precision bombing).

Civilization is a nice word, and as a rule has no tail. Or buttocks.
Ruthless raisin
Eggs like blunt pebbles, stunted progeny.
But sparrow or metaphor,
if your civilization has been led astray,
don't blame the little bird.

I hope it doesn't lose too much in (my) translation.

Have a lovely weekend, Blippers!