by Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967)
Translation Singable translation © by Paridam von dem Knesebeck (c1911 - 2000) and by Eva Hesse (1925 - 2020)

Minstrel man
Language: English 
Because my mouth
Is wide with laughter
And my throat
Is deep with song,
You do not think
I suffer after
I have held my pain
So long.

Because my mouth
Is wide with laughter,
You do not hear my inner cry?
Because my feet
Are gay with dancing
You do not know
I die?

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.

Confirmed with Mein dunklen Hände. Moderne Negerlyrik in Original und Nachdichtung, herausgegeben und übertragen von Eva Hesse und Paridam von dem Knesebeck, München: Nymphenburger Verlag, 1953, page 24.


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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 55

Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English 
Nur weil mein Mund
 [ ... ]
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This text was added to the website: 2004-01-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 57