| |
Emanuel Geibel:
Herbstlich sonnige Tage
Herbstlich sonnige Tage,
mir beschieden zur Lust,
euch mit leiserem Schlage
grüßt die atmende Brust.
O wie waltet die Stunde
nun in seliger Ruh’!
Jede schmerzende Wunde
schließet leise sich zu.
Nur zu rasten, zu lieben,
still an sich selber zu baun,
fühlt sich die Seele getrieben
und mit Liebe zu schaun.
Jedem leisen Verfärben
lausch ich mit stillem Bemühn,
jedem Wachsen und Sterben,
jedem Welken und Blühn.
Was da webet im Ringe,
was da blüht auf der Flur,
Sinnbild ewiger Dinge
ist’s dem Schauenden nur.
Jede sprossende Pflanze,
die mit Düften sich füllt,
trägt im Kelche das ganze
Weltgeheimnis verhüllt.
Emanuel von Geibel (1815–1884)
|
|
Emanuel Geibel:
Autumn's Sunny Days
Time has shown us a favor:
Autumn's sunniest days.
Slowly breathe and then savor
softer, welcoming ways.
Time has let go of its reason,
calm and silence I feel:
Wounds that have festered all season
are beginning to heal.
Now my mind can endeavor
resting and loving for me,
changing my person forever,
comforting all that I see.
Softly let me attend to
changing colors at night:
Wilting, dying is near you
after blooming so bright.
What in the meadows is growing,
what is weaving its rings,
only strives to be showing
all the permanent things.
Blooming flower disperses
scent in chalices wide:
Holding the whole universe's
mystery hidden inside.
The meter isn't maintained and the text isn't accurately translated, you complain? Well, the spirit is. And you can't argue with the spirit. It is or it isn't. So there...
Besides, there is both meaning and music - mutually re-enforcing, one would hope - to each true poem. The music is the message; the word merely the messenger.
Yes, I know. Not everybody agrees. But everybody feels it, despite. So why try argueing with words? Try argueing with music...
[Later]
Me? Well, yes, I admit it. I tend to re-visit prosodically. Not that it does the author or me much good. But what am I to do? I am a poetry buff - and some of my translational "poetry" surely needs a lot of buffing...
You'd like to read the earlier version? Just for comparison? Be my guest. That is, be the guest of a marvellous translation website by
Brindin Press.
|
...
|