The babbling of the evening winds

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by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Abendwindes Lallen

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: CAT ENG

Abendwindes Lallen
Klagt erstickt im Laub,
Schwere Tropfen fallen
Einzeln in den Staub.

Aus den mürben Mauern
Moos und Farne quellen,
Alte Leute kauern
Schweigend auf den Schwellen.

Krumme Hände lasten
Still auf steifen Knien,
Geben sich dem Rasten
Und Verwelken hin.

Überm Friedhof flügeln
Krähen schwer und groß.
Auf den flachen Hügeln
Wuchert Farn und Moos.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• E. Märki

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Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

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Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 392.

Text Authorship:

by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Müder Abend", written 1960 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-05-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 61

The babbling of the evening winds

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

The babbling of the evening winds
Laments, suffocated, in the foliage,
Heavy drops fall
Singly into the dust.

From the crumbling walls
Moss and ferns well forth,
Old folks are cowering
Silently upon the thresholds.

Bent hands rest heavily and
Quietly upon stiff knees,
Giving themselves up to resting
And to withering.

Above the graveyard soar
Crows, heavy and large.
Upon the flat hills
Ferns and mosses grow rampantly.

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Translations of title(s):
"Müder Abend" = "Weary evening"
"Abend in Sils-Maria" = "Evening in Sils-Maria"

Text 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 Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Müder Abend", written 1960
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This text was added to the website: 2017-10-31
Line count: 16
Word count: 74