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John Reinhart: An arsonist by trade, eccentric by avocation, John Reinhart lives in Colorado with his wife and children, and beasts aplenty, including a dog, cat, duck, goats, chickens, and probably mice. His poetry has recently been published in Interfictions, Star*Line, Moon Pigeon Press, and Charles Christian’s Grievous Angel. More of his work is available at http://home.hampshire.edu/~jcr00/reinhart.html
John Reinhart: inspection
johnreinhart@hotmail.com
Arsonist, Versifier
digital magazine fleursdumal.nl
More in: Archive Q-R, John Reinhart, Reinhart, John
Overvloed
In de naslaap waad ik langzaam water
in. Dat doe ik nooit. Als ik me druipend
afvraag wat ik hier te doen sta verrijs jij.
Met het jonge slanke lichaam dat ik ken
van oude foto’s, gekartelrand en al, maar
met het hoofd dat ik zo zachtjes streelde
toen je bijna aan je laatste adem. Weet je
nog? Je glimlacht. “Wat krijgen we nou?
Jij gaf toch helemaal niets om zwemmen,
jongen?” zeg je. En je drukt me nat tegen
je borst die zo op de mijne lijkt. “Dag pa,”
zeg ik. “Dag papa. Waar ben je al die tijd?”
Bert Bevers
Revărsare
Ȋn somnul de apoi, înaintam cu greu prin
apă. Nu mi se întâmplă niciodată. Eram șiroare tot
și mă ȋntrebam ce caut. Atunci ai ȋnviat.
Cu trupul zvelt și tânăr, pe care-l știu
din vechile poze de album, cu zimți –
dar totuși te mângâiam ușor pe cap,
ca și cum ai fi fost pe patul de moarte.
Ȋţi amintești? Zȃmbeai. „Ce avem noi aici?
Dar ție nu ȋţi pasă deloc de ȋnot,
măi băiete?“ Așa ziceai. Și m-ai strȃns la piept,
numai șiroaie, ca și mine. „Bun găsit, tati!“
„Bun găsit, tăticule! Unde ai fost ȋn tot acest timp?“
Gedicht Bert Bevers
Vertaald naar het Roemeens Alexandra Raluca Ciobanu Universitatea din București
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive A-B, Overvloed, TRANSLATION ARCHIVE
Katherine Mansfield
(1888 – 1923)
A Few Rules for Beginners
Babies must not eat the coal
And they must not make grimaces,
Nor in party dresses roll
And must never black their faces.
They must learn that pointing’s rude,
They must sit quite still at table,
And must always eat the food
Put before them—if they’re able.
If they fall, they must not cry,
Though it’s known how painful this is;
No—there’s always Mother by
Who will comfort them with kisses.
Katherine Mansfield poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Katherine Mansfield, Mansfield, Katherine
William Lisle Bowles
(1762 – 1850)
Evening
Evening! as slow thy placid shades descend,
Veiling with gentlest hush the landscape still,
The lonely battlement, the farthest hill
And wood, I think of those who have no friend;
Who now, perhaps, by melancholy led,
From the broad blaze of day, where pleasure flaunts,
Retiring, wander to the ring-dove’s haunts
Unseen; and watch the tints that o’er thy bed
Hang lovely; oft to musing Fancy’s eye
Presenting fairy vales, where the tir’d mind
Might rest beyond the murmurs of mankind,
Nor hear the hourly moans of misery!
Alas for man! that Hope’s fair views the while
Should smile like you, and perish as they smile!
William Lisle Bowles poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive A-B, CLASSIC POETRY
Hendrik Marsman
(1899-1940)
Aan de dood
Dood
neem mij mee.
ik heb hier afgedaan.
ik wil op de rotsen te pletter slaan
en versplintren in open zee…
neem mij mee,
dood.
(Uit: Porta Nigra (1934))
Hendrik Marsman poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive M-N, Marsman, Hendrik
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(1749-1832)
Drei Oden
an meinen Freund Behrisch
Erste.
Verpflanze den schönen Baum,
Gärtner! er jammert mich;
Glücklicheres Erdreich
Verdiente der Stamm.
Noch hat seiner Natur Kraft
Der Erde aussaugendem Geize,
Der Luft verderbender Fäulniß,
Ein Gegengift, widerstanden.
Sieh! wie er im Frühling
Lichtgrüne Blätter schlägt;
Ihr Orangenduft
Ist dem Geschmeiße Gift.
Der Raupe tückischer Zahn
Wird stumpf an ihnen,
Es blinkt ihr Silberglanz
Im Sonnenscheine.
Von seinen Zweigen
Wünscht das Mädchen
Im Brautkranze;
Früchte hoffen Jünglinge.
Aber sieh! der Herbst kommt,
Da geht die Raupe,
Klagt der listigen Spinne
Des Baums Unverwelklichkeit.
Schwebend zieht sich
Von ihrer Taxuswohnung
Die Prachtfeindin herüber
Zum wohlthätigen Baum,
Und kann nicht schaden,
Aber die Vielkünstliche
Ueberzieht mit grauem Ekel
Die Silberblätter.
Sieht triumphirend,
Wie das Mädchen schauernd,
Der Jüngling jammernd
Vorübergeht.
Verpflanze den schönen Baum,
Gärtner! er jammert mich.
Baum, danke dem Gärtner,
Der dich verpflanzt!
Zweite.
Du gehst! Ich murre. –
Geh! laß mich murren.
Ehrlicher Mann,
Fliehe dieses Land!
Todte Sümpfe,
Dampfende Octobernebel
Verweben ihre Ausflüsse
Hier unzertrennlich.
Gebärort
Schädlicher Insecten,
Mörderhöhle
Ihrer Bosheit!
Am schilfigten Ufer
Liegt die wollüstige
Flammengezüngte Schlange,
Gestreichelt vom Sonnenstrahl.
Fliehe sanfte Nachtgänge
In der Mondendämmerung,
Dort halten zuckende Kröten
Zusammenkünfte auf Kreuzwegen.
Schaden sie nicht,
Werden sie schrecken. –
Ehrlicher Mann,
Fliehe dieses Land!
Dritte.
Sei gefühllos!
Ein leichtbewegtes Herz
Ist ein elend Gut
Auf der wankenden Erde.
Behrisch! des Frühlings Lächeln
Erheitre deine Stirne nie;
Nie trübt sie dann mit Verdruß
Des Winters stürmischer Ernst.
Lehne dich nie an des Mädchens
Sorgenverwiegende Brust,
Nie auf des Freundes
Elendtragenden Arm.
Schon versammelt,
Von seiner Klippenwarte,
Der Neid auf dich
Den ganzen luchsgleichen Blick,
Dehnt die Klauen,
Stürzt, und schlägt
Hinterlistig sie
Dir in die Schultern.
Stark sind die magern Arme
Wie Pantherarme,
Er schüttelt dich
Und reißt dich los.
Tod ist Trennung!
Dreifacher Tod
Trennung ohne Hoffnung
Wiederzusehn.
Gerne verließest du
Dieses gehaßte Land,
Hielte dich nicht Freundschaft
Mit Blumenfesseln an mir.
Zerreiß sie! Ich klage nicht.
Kein edler Freund
Hält den Mitgefangnen,
Der fliehen kann, zurück.
Der Gedanke
Von des Freundes Freiheit
Ist ihm Freiheit
Im Kerker.
Du gehst, ich bleibe.
Aber schon drehen
Des letzten Jahres Flügelspeichen
Sich um die rauchende Achse.
Ich zähle die Schläge
Des donnernden Rads,
Segne den letzten,
Da springen die Riegel, frei bin ich wie du!
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive G-H, Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Lucy Maud Montgomery
(1874 – 1942)
You
Only a long, low-lying lane
That follows to the misty sea,
Across a bare and russet plain
Where wild winds whistle vagrantly;
I know that many a fairer path
With lure of song and bloom may woo,
But oh ! I love this lonely strath
Because it is so full of you.
Here we have walked in elder years,
And here your truest memories wait,
This spot is sacred to your tears,
That to your laughter dedicate;
Here, by this turn, you gave to me
A gem of thought that glitters yet,
This tawny slope is graciously
By a remembered smile beset.
Here once you lingered on an hour
When stars were shining in the west,
To gather one pale, scented flower
And place it smiling on your breast;
And since that eve its fragrance blows
For me across the grasses sere,
Far sweeter than the latest rose,
That faded bloom of yesteryear.
For me the sky, the sea, the wold,
Have beckoning visions wild and fair,
The mystery of a tale untold,
The grace of an unuttered prayer.
Let others choose the fairer path
That winds the dimpling valley through,
I gladly seek this lonely strath
Companioned by my dreams of you.
Lucy Maud Montgomery poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive M-N, CLASSIC POETRY
Overvloed
In de naslaap waad ik langzaam water
in. Dat doe ik nooit. Als ik me druipend
afvraag wat ik hier te doen sta verrijs jij.
Met het jonge slanke lichaam dat ik ken
van oude foto’s, gekartelrand en al, maar
met het hoofd dat ik zo zachtjes streelde
toen je bijna aan je laatste adem. Weet je
nog? Je glimlacht. “Wat krijgen we nou?
Jij gaf toch helemaal niets om zwemmen,
jongen?” zeg je. En je drukt me nat tegen
je borst die zo op de mijne lijkt. “Dag pa,”
zeg ik. “Dag papa. Waar ben je al die tijd?”
Bert Bevers
Abbondanza
Nel doposogno guado l’acqua lento.
Quello non lo faccio mai. Quando grondante
mi chiedo cosa sto faccendo qui, risorgi tu.
Con quel giovane corpo snello che conosco
da vecchie foto, del tutto orlate da dentelli, ma
con la testa che accarezzavo dolcemente
quando quasi al tuo ultimo respiro. Lo sai
ancora? Sorridi. “Ma cosa ti prende?
Al nuoto non ci tenevi affatto tu,
ragazzo?” dici. E mi stringi bagnato al
tuo petto che tanto assomiglia il mio. “Ciao papa,”
dico. “Ciao papa. Dove sei tutto questo tempo?”
Gedicht Bert Bevers
Vertaald naar het Italiaans door Walter Simons
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive A-B, Overvloed, TRANSLATION ARCHIVE
Katharine Tynan
(1859 – 1931)
St. Francis and the Birds
Little sisters, the birds:
We must praise God, you and I
You, with songs that fill the sky,
I, with halting words.
All things tell His praise,
Woods and waters thereof sing,
Summer, Winter, Autumn, Spring,
And the night and days.
Yea, and cold and heat,
And the sun and stars and moon,
Sea with her monotonous tune,
Rain and hail and sleet,
And the winds of heaven,
And the solemn hills of blue,
And the brown earth and the dew,
And the thunder even,
And the flowers’ sweet breath.
All things make one glorious voice;
Life with fleeting pains and joys,
And our brother, Death.
Little flowers of air,
With your feathers soft and sleek,
And your bright brown eyes and meek,
He hath made you fair.
He hath taught to you
Skill to weave in tree and thatch
Nests where happy mothers hatch
Speckled eggs of blue.
And hath children given:
When the soft heads overbrim
The brown nests, then thank ye Him
In the clouds of heaven.
Also in your lives
Live His laws Who loveth you.
Husbands, be ye kind and true;
Be home-keeping, wives:
Love not gossiping;
Stay at home and keep the nest;
Fly not here and there in quest
Of the newest thing.
Live as brethren live:
Love be in each heart and mouth;
Be not envious, be not wroth,
Be not slow to give.
When ye build the nest,
Quarrel not o’er straw or wool;
He who hath be bountiful
To the neediest.
Be not puffed nor vain
Of your beauty or your worth,
Of your children or your birth,
Or the praise ye gain.
Eat not greedily:
Sometimes for sweet mercy’s sake,
Worm or insect spare to take;
Let it crawl or fly.
See ye sing not near
To our church on holy day,
Lest the human-folk should stray
From their prayers to hear.
Now depart in peace:
In God’s name I bless each one;
May your days be long i’ the sun
And your joys increase.
And remember me,
Your poor brother Francis, who
Loves you and gives thanks to you
For this courtesy.
Sometimes when ye sing,
Name my name, that He may take
Pity for the dear song’s sake
On my shortcoming.
Katharine Tynan poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive S-T, CLASSIC POETRY
Sidney Lanier
(1842 – 1881)
The Mocking-bird
Superb and sole, upon a plumed spray
That o’er the general leafage boldly grew,
He summ’d the woods in song; or typic drew
The watch of hungry hawks, the lone dismay
Of languid doves when long their lovers stray,
And all birds’ passion-plays that sprinkle dew
At morn in brake or bosky avenue.
What e’er birds did or dreamed, this bird could say.
Then down he shot, bounced airily along
The sward, twitched in a grasshopper, made song
Midflight, perched, prinked, and to his art again.
Sweet Science, this large riddle read me plain:
How may the death of that dull insect be
The life of yon trim Shakspere on the tree?
1877
Sidney Lanier poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive K-L, CLASSIC POETRY
Don Marquis
(1878 – 1937)
A Politician
Leader no more, be judged of us!
Hailed Chief, and loved, of yore—
Youth, and the faith of youth, cry out:
Leader and Chief no more!
We dreamed a Prophet, flushed with faith,
Content to toil in pain
If that his sacrifice might be,
Somehow, his people’s gain.
We saw a vision, and our blood
Beat red and hot and strong:
“Lead us (we cried) to war against
Some foul, embattled wrong!”
We dreamed a Warrior whose sword
Was edged for sham and shame;
We dreamed a Statesman far above
The vulgar lust for fame.
We were not cynics, and we dreamed
A Man who made no truce
With lies nor ancient privilege
Nor old, entrenched abuse.
We dreamed . . . we dreamed . . . Youth dreamed
a dream!
And even you forgot
Yourself, one moment, and dreamed, too—
Struck, while your mood was hot!
Struck three or four good blows . . . and then
Turned back to easier things:
The cheap applause, the blatant mob,
The praise of underlings!
Praise . . . praise . . . was ever man so filled,
So avid still, of praise?
So hungry for the crowd’s acclaim,
The sycophantic phrase?
O you whom Greatness beckoned to . . .
O swollen Littleness
Who turned from Immortality
To fawn upon Success!
O blind with love of self, who led
Youth’s vision to defeat,
Bawling and brawling for rewards,
Loud, in the common street!
O you who were so quick to judge—
Leader, and loved, of yore—
Hear now the judgment of our youth:
Leader and Chief no more!
Don Marquis poetry
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive M-N, CLASSIC POETRY
Paul Klee
(1879-1940)
Kurzes Leben
Kurzes Leben
Saures Streben
Viel Verdruß
malen muß
verschämt
vergrämt
Riesennatur
Überpartitur
Klavierstuhl hocken
Schütteln die Locken
Paul Klee Gedicht, 1901
fleursdumal.nl magazine
More in: Archive K-L, Expressionism, Klee, Paul
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