AC Benus

Sorry I haven't been posting lately...translating Peter Baum's openly Queer poems has been consuming me my time

. Poem No. 27 Tanka: All this restlessness – Like a place a ghost has claimed – Leaves no room for peace, But churns alone in myself The could-have-beens that haunt me. Poem No. 28 [7] Ascanio mourns within his head. His open-phrased desire Reaches yet as fresh today As it did when first he sang Of fair-virtued Silvia. And Silvia sweet, her confusion bearing Her

. Und ist dein Mund vor Sehnsucht rot, Und bist du mein eigen In Herzensnot – Ich küß dir die Hände, Wenn du weinst – – Einst, Vor Jahren kannt ich die Liebe. Nun ist sie nur ein fernes Lied, Das meinen Sinnen Vorüberzieht. Ich such es zu spielen, Wenn du weinst – – Einst, Vor Jahren kannt ich die Liebe. [i] --------------------------------- When your mouth is flush with longing, And you a

Thanks, Parker. A poem like this I feel is part of the reason Toni Schwabe needs to be better known

Thanks, Chris

Thanks, ReaderPaul

Thank you, Parker. Your personal interaction with this poem tells me I may have done right by it, for the German original is possibly less dark than I paint it; but then again, my translation is how I feel Schwabe intends a reader to feel -- so maybe I found the balance and strike the right notes after all

Thank you, PeaderPaul. I've encountered several poems in German where a "Wort" has gravely impacted the poet enough to want to deal with effect it had on their lives

Thanks for reading this poem, Chris. I appreciate it

. Deines Schicksals Wort Hat dich wohl je ein Wort betört? Es fiel wie Samen in ein Land Und wuchs bis dir die Welt erstand. Du pflücktest mit beglückter Hand – Und ward dein Schicksal dir beschert. Nun rufst dus in den toten Nächten, Doch ist dein Erdreich seiner müd, Es nimmt den Samen nicht. Der flieht Vom Wind getragen fort und blüht Bei Fremden auf mit deines Herzens Prächten. [i] -------------

Thanks, @Cia, and thanks @Mancunian for your kind words

Zug is a fascinating word in German. Meanings range from "puff" (like a locomotive), to wanderer, to tractor as a verb. Appears in Zugvogel as migratory bird. In the senses of traveler, migration, one a bit lost, etc., I wonder if way back in the mists of language trees, Zug was related to the familiar-in-English Latinate prefix fug. As in fugitive.