[lit-ideas] Re: National Poetry Month exercise?

On the 25th of March, 2005 Mirembe Nantongo wrote:

> April, which starts next Friday, is National Poetry
> Month.  Would anyone like to participate in a poem
> sharing exercise?

I have an idiosyncratic translation (about which more later)
of what is termed by some as the best-known poem in the
German language (about which also more later) which I
would like to post to the list toward the end of the month.

I also have a couple of translations (by others) of another
very short well-known 'comic' poem (one of my favourites)
which I would be happy to post and critique earlier in the
month if we are having trouble filling all the dates ....

In addition - I am working on a translation of a poem by
Gottfried Benn who appears to be little known outside of
Germany but whom a major literary magazine in a poll of
writers chose (over Rilke, Celan, George, Trakl, Morgenstern,
Hofmannsthal, etc., etc.) as *the* German-language poet of
the 20th century.  I mention this in part because this poem is
perhaps *the* answer to G. L. Hodgkins':

> . . . In death caused by a chronic condition, whether animal
> or human, the dying being stops eating and drinking. It is
> part of the natural process. Does anyone care to know about
> the natural process of death or has ignorant speculation
> become the acceptable norm?

(And a very disturbing answer it is, too - to be posted with the
strongest of caveats ....)

Oh - this I almost forgot: recently there was some discussion
of a passage in Hegel which (and this is lost in translation) 'turns
upon'  Hoelderlin's 'Brot und Wein'.  I have a translation of that
as well .....

There are 4 offerings - which I would prefer to post in the order:
2, 4, 3, 1 (perhaps one a week?).  If space is limited my order of
preference is sequential (1, 2, 3, 4).

Thanks very much for this, Mirembe!

Chris Bruce
Kiel, Germany

P.S.  And, now that I think of it, there's ..., and ...., and ..., and 
...,
and ... (to say nothing of offerings from the above-mentioned
poets whom Benn edged out in the 'German-language poet of the
20th century' poll).  What the heck - once April is over I'll start a
series: 'Wednesday Poems-in-Translation' ....

P.P.S.  I just mentioned Morgenstern, didn't I?  Well, I can't ask for
even *more* space on the Poetry Month list - but during poetry
month I *must* post about a reading of one of Morgenstern's
'Galgenlieder' [Gallowssongs] which I saw recently (via DVD). This is
one of the most chilling things I've seen in my life - and I am
grateful that I saw just a recording of it and not the live performance.
I had to stop the machine at the end of that one - and that was also
the end of that evening's 'entertainment', believe you me!  (Of course
in commenting on the reading I will be obliged to post at least some
of the poem itself as well, but - unless you absolutely insist on
scheduling it in as an item of its own - I will just slip it in
somewhere; with the Benn translation mentioned above if that is
'authorized'.)  I'd love to hear from others about readings and
'performances' of poetry and prose (i.e., pieces f literature that
one 'ordinarily' reads silently to onesself).  (Additional
parenthetical remark: do any read out loud to themselves?)

And now the sun is shining and the garden awaits, so I will (donning
jacket and gardening hat) finally close, for now ....

-cb
--

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