The Thousandth Regiment - 16. "From distant fires, luminous as rubies"

WOW! That is Brilliant! The strong sensuality and the using of very masculine images in your English translation are as breathtaking as in the German. It is so impressive. You mastered it in every aspect. So many amazing pictures you transported like sky`s charlice, realms of fields be-dewed by darkest red, and many more. Great, great work.

Such an amazing poem, and one that deserves study and inclusion in any standard canon. The first two stanzas cry out at the blood and the death which lies everywhere in those fields over which the stars keep their watch. Your translation puts us right there. 

7 hours ago, Lyssa said:

WOW! That is Brilliant! The strong sensuality and the using of very masculine images in your English translation are as breathtaking as in the German. It is so impressive. You mastered it in every aspect. So many amazing pictures you transported like sky`s charlice, realms of fields be-dewed by darkest red, and many more. Great, great work.

Thank you, Lyssa. This poem floored me when I first encountered it. Luckily I have explored a couple of erotic/sensual poems from Hans, so I felt I knew how to walk the tightrope he strings in the original. It must be one of the most remarkable ww1 poems of them all. I doubt one composed in the English language could have been published at the time. There is something primal here; there is something mystical and yet intimate; there is a treasuring of simply being alive that sings across the years with passion and heart. 

But in this individual act of confirming the right of a life force to live, the poem is subversive. We relish the moment with him, but are left to ask why his sacrifice was necessary.

Thank you for reading and praising my translation. I can only hope I've recreated some but not all of its power. Muah 

5 hours ago, Parker Owens said:

Such an amazing poem, and one that deserves study and inclusion in any standard canon. The first two stanzas cry out at the blood and the death which lies everywhere in those fields over which the stars keep their watch. Your translation puts us right there. 

Thank you, Parker. I completely agree this poem deserves study and inclusion; so many of the metaphors are rich and complex. The religious overtones alone are worthy of analysis -- this is a great poem. I'm so pleased you have read my translation and can sense the wonder with which I encountered this work. So much of Hans is in this poem, and although we know little about him -- because little has been published concerning him -- his greatness shines through unscathed by time. Hopefully I have not scathed his intents with my language choices here, but I think he would approve. 

Thank  you once again!   

Some of these are simply overwhelming. They battle each other.. while all around the world continues.. the sun and moon rise and set.. the stars watch from over head... while we slaughter each other.  And do we even know why?  

Thanks for these AC. 

On 9/10/2019 at 6:44 PM, MichaelS36 said:

Some of these are simply overwhelming. They battle each other.. while all around the world continues.. the sun and moon rise and set.. the stars watch from over head... while we slaughter each other.  And do we even know why?  

Thanks for these AC. 

Thank you, Mike. No. 16 is definitely one of the outstanding poems of the "Regiment." This poem is another of those timeless ones to me; it could be the thoughts and words of an ancient Assyrian foot soldier, or a current patrol in Afghanistan. The sentiments here, and these private moments with their intense life force heightened by all the death around them, reaches out to nature to grasp a greater meaning. 

Thank you for sharing your wonderful thoughts on this poem