by Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874 - 1936)

Language: English 
Our translations:  GER
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil's walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

Composition:

    Set to music by Richard Hageman (1881 - 1966), "The donkey", published 1934 [ high voice and piano ], London: Winthrop Rogers

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • GER German (Deutsch) (Walter A. Aue) , "Der Esel", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Barbara Miller

This text was added to the website: 2004-02-10
Line count: 16
Word count: 89