The Thousandth Regiment 15. Verse Translations

With the translation of the sonnets of the thousandth regiment, AC gave Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele a voice in English. A brilliant work by AC, harrowing poems and a heartbreaking story by Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele.

Hans Ehrenbaum-Degele used the sonnet form masterfully. His poems hold sounds and metaphors, which are going under the skin. Outstanding is ACs talent to transport this and make those sonnets not a simple translation but a deep experience that reflects the original in English.

Lyssa

AC did a fantastic job in translating these poems from the original German. He captures the tenor and intent of the original poets words, and brings one on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The poems themselves are hard to read, as they deal with the subject of war, and are pretty raw with emotion.

What to say?

Powerful. Magnificent. Poignant. 

Read these.

They are intense. They are human. They are difficult. 

Read them. 

I know AC spent much effort and time to undertake these translations, it is not an easy task. They are not easy to read, but somethings should not be.

In this collection, AC Benus brings a powerful and talented poet's words and thoughts, to us in English. Hans' words, along with many others should be in our hearts and minds before set ourselves on the path of war.

Lest we forget.

AC has performed here a labor of love for poetry - bringing to life the eloquent voice of a fellow poet from a different time and place.  This is an unusual work for this site, but one which should not be missed.  Although difficult at times to listen to, we must not ignore the wise voice of one who shows us vividly that war is not the answer.

The reader should take note of the comments for each poem, as they serve as footnotes which expand exponentially the understanding of the poetry itself.