German poems (1 Viewer)

[roni]

Some German asked me a question about the original titles of poems in posthumous collections, that I don't have.

They're either in 'SIFTING THROUGH THE MADNESS' or 'THE FLASH OF LIGHTNING'.

The German translations were all in 'LETZTE MELDUNGEN'. They are:

1. Leergut - p. 33 ('empty bottles'?)
2. Zum Gähnen - p. 122 ('yawning'?)
3. Kalter Sommer - p. 133 ('cold summer'?)



on #1:
it's a long (prose-)poem starting somewhat like

"We emptied our wine bottles
like they were thimbles.
Because our fights at 4 am
we've been thrown out of appartments
all around the city"


on #2:
not too long, approx 2 pages. starts like

"If you're bored
you know pretty well
you'll get boring to others soon."


on #3:

just a little longer than the previous one, approx 2 pages. starts like

"Not as bad as it could be
but bad enough -
into the hospital, to see the doctor, coming
and going ..."



Can anybody help with the titles and page-numbers please?

 

[Ponder]

Hank Solo must be on vacation!
I mean, after 10 minutes he still hasn't replied yet.

 

[hank solo]

:p

I think you have 2 of the titles about right.

They're either in 'SIFTING THROUGH THE MADNESS' or 'THE FLASH OF LIGHTNING'....

1. Leergut - p. 33 ('empty bottles'?)

I actually don't have a copy of Sifting so I can't be sure, but the current database says it contains a poem called 'empties' which is probably #1 on your list.

2. Zum Gähnen - p. 122 ('yawning'?)

I can't place #2 so hopefully its in Sifting too. It isn't 'yawn' from Sept. Stew.

3. Kalter Sommer - p. 133 ('cold summer'?)

Number 3 is certainly 'cold summer' from 'The Flash of Lightning Behind the Mountain'. It is on page 153, as per the db.

 

[roni]

Thanks HS!
so #3 seems to be safe.
and #1 as good as.


on #2:
According to the German book, the poem must be in either of these posthumous collections. But Weissner was changing titles of poems sometimes. That's why I gave a glimpse of the first lines as they COULD be.


given the fact, that Weissner only selected the poems, but usually didn't change their order, I've now tried to cut down possibilities (only by the names of poems given in the DB):
#2 should be somewhere between 'Cleopatra now' and 'a riot in the streets'.


The LAST lines of the poem COULD read like:

"Maybe, at the end of the
line, you'll find
me."


If anybody of you could look up the exact data, (and maybe even confirm the data of #s 1 and 3) I'd be thankful.

 

[hank solo]

Well I looked up 'cold summer' (when I replied earlier) in Flash and it starts exactly as you suggested roni.

Okay, following your logic about the order, I'm checking now and poem #2 is 'lonely hearts', page 115 of Flash. Nice detective work.

It starts:

when you start boring yourself
you know damn well
you're going to start
boring other people;

 

[roni]

"Be mindful of the living Force, my young Padawan!"

Thanks again HS!

 

[Ponder]

Roni,

I didn't read your question carefully...because
EMPTIES is one of my favorite poems
in the posthumous collections.