by
Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
Der Gewitterabend
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE ITA
O die roten Abendstunden!
Flimmernd schwankt am offenen Fenster
Weinlaub wirr ins Blau gewunden,
Drinnen nisten Angstgespenster.
Staub tanzt im Gestank der Gossen.
Klirrend stößt der Wind in Scheiben.
Einen Zug von wilden Rossen
Blitze grelle Wolken treiben,
Laut zerspringt der Weiherspiegel.
Möwen schrein am Fensterrahmen.
Feuerreiter sprengt vom Hügel
Und zerschellt im Tann zu Flammen.
Kranke kreischen im Spitale.
Bläulich schwirrt der Nacht Gefieder.
Glitzernd braust mit einem Male
Regen auf die Dächer nieder.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "The thunderstorm evening", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Soir d'orage", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Sera di tempesta", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2007-07-29
Line count: 16
Word count: 75
The thunderstorm evening
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
O these glowing evening hours!
Vine leaves by the open window
sway and shimmer, blue entangled.
Indoors ghosts of anguish nestle.
Dust whirls in the stench of gutters.
Gusts of wind knock at the windows.
Like a mob of frenzied horses
lurid clouds driven by lightnings.
Loudly the pond’s surface shatters.
Gulls cry at the casement windows.
Fire-rider downhill thunders
smashed to flames in yonder forest.
Shrieks in hospital from patients.
Bluish the night's feathers whirring.
All at once a glistening bluster
of the rain upon the housetops.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2016-06-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 88