by
Hans Bötticher (1883 - 1934), as Joachim Ringelnatz
Ein ganzes Leben
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
"Weißt du noch", so frug die Eintagsfliege
Abends, "wie ich auf der Stiege
Damals dir den Käsekrümel stahl? "
Mit der Abgeklärtheit eines Greises
sprach der Fliegenmann: "Gewiß, ich weiß es! "
Und er lächelte: "Es war einmal -"
"Weißt du noch", so fragte weiter sie,
"Wie ich damals unterm sechsten Knie
Jene schwere Blutvergiftung hatte? "
"Leider", sagte halbverträumt der Gatte.
"Weißt du noch, wie ich, weil ich dir grollte,
Fliegenleim-Selbstmord verüben wollte??
-Und wie ich das erste Ei gebar??
Weißt du noch, wie es halb sechs Uhr war??
-Und wie ich in Milch gefallen bin?? "
Fliegenmann gab keine Antwort mehr,
Summte leise, müde vor sich hin:
"Lang, lang ist's her - lang -"
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 (Sharon Krebs) , "An entire life", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2009-12-07
Line count: 18
Word count: 116
An entire life
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
"Do you remember," thus in the evening
Asked the mayfly, "how, upon the stairs
Back then, I stole that crumb of cheese from you?"
With the detachment of an aged one
Her fly-husband spoke: "Indeed, I remember!"
And he smiled: "That was a long time ago -"
"Do you still remember," she continued,
"That time when I had that terrible blood-poisoning
Under my sixth knee?"
"Unfortunately", said her spouse, half in a dream.
"Do you remember how, because I was angry with you,
I wanted to commit suicide upon the flypaper??
-And how I gave birth to our first egg??
Do you remember when it was half past five??
-And how I fell into the milk??"
Fly-husband did not answer anymore,
He hummed quietly, wearily to himself:
"Long, long ago - long -"
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2017 by Sharon Krebs, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hans Bötticher (1883 - 1934), as Joachim Ringelnatz, "Ein ganzes Leben", appears in 103 Gedichte, first published 1933
This text was added to the website: 2017-09-09
Line count: 18
Word count: 133