German Poetry Now: A bilingual online-anthology, featured by DAS GEDICHT chapbook
Alfons Schweiggert
To the dust on my books, an obituary
you once snuck up on them noiselessly
by covering them you gave them your protection
you never invaded them
you were content with resting
and steadily collecting upon them
merged with them
day and night you remained silent
close to them second to none
faithful till the bitter end
when death’s breath carried you away
now you’ve entered a different realm
although you’ll return, of that I’m certain
translated by Paul-Henri Campbell
+ German Original / Das OriginalAlfons Schweiggert
Nachruf auf den Staub auf meinen Büchern
hast dich einst lautlos ihnen genähert
dich beschützend auf sie gelegt
bist nie in sie eingedrungen
dir hat es genügt auf ihnen zu liegen
hast dich auf ihnen vermehrt
warst mit ihnen verschmolzen
Tag und Nacht warst du stumm
ihnen nah wie sonst keiner
ihnen treu bis zum bitteren Ende
bis ein Todesatem dich von ihnen blies
jetzt bist du in einer anderen Welt
doch du kehrst wieder, das weiß ich genau
© Alfons Schweiggert, München
aus: DAS GEDICHT Bd. 22 / Oktober 2014
+ About the author / Zum Autor
Alfons Schweiggert was born in Altomünster (Upper Bavaria) in 1947. Alongside an academic career in pedagogy at the University of Munich and a professional life in researching questions and quality of education, he put forth a formidable literary oeuvre that includes nearly forty children’s books (illustrated by himself). But he is also the author of fiction and poetry, but most notably perhaps fifteen or so biographies on Franz Kafka, Karl Valentin, Erich Kästner, Pope Benedict XVI., and on Edgar Allen Poe’s ties to King Ludwig II. of Bavaria. Schweiggert charmed his audience with books about Bavarian history, collected Bavarian fairytales, ghost stories, or a comprehensive study on Munich’s famous Viktualienmarkt. He won the German award for children’s literature twice (1976 and 1984) and received the Poetentaler. Commentators are regularly baffled by the intense, versatile creativity evident in his work. His poetry, which is frequently in communion with illustrations and graphic elements, exhibits a satirical and vulpine tone that attains a surprising degree of sincerity, albeit it’s unmasking and exposing modus operandi. Schweiggert’s verse seems like an arrangement of fragmentary clusters of sound and sense, and there are strategically placed contradictions at every corner. With this author, one may encounter literature that provokes reflection as well as playful interlocution between text and reader.
»Lustful Things – Geile Sachen!« im Archiv
»Lustful Things – Geile Sachen!« is an online collection of contemporary German-language poetry in English translation. All poems were taken from issue no. 22 of the German poetry magazine DAS GEDICHT, focused on the Poetry of Things. New English translations by Paul-Henri Campbell as well as the German originals are published here every Wednesday. All poems of this online-collection will also be published in a special print-edition. In order to read previous poems in this series, click here.
»Lustful Things – Geile Sachen!« ist eine Online-Sammlung zeitgenössischer deutschsprachiger Dinggedichte in englischer Übersetzung. Alle Texte sind Band 22 der Zeitschrift DAS GEDICHT entnommen. Jeden Mittwoch erscheint ein neues Gedicht, das von Paul-Henri Campbell ins Englische übertragen wurde, zusammen mit dem deutschen Original. Die Beiträge dieser Online-Anthologie gibt es auch als Sonderausgabe in Buchform. Alle bereits erschienenen Folgen von »Lustful Things – Geile Sachen!« finden Sie hier.
»Lustful Things – Geile Sachen!« im Archiv
