Solitary . . | Of what use is my calling, my screaming for you?

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by Albert Sergel (1876 - 1946)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Einsam

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Was nützt mein Rufen, mein Schrein nach dir?
Was hilft mein Rütteln, das kraftlos sinkt
an den Gitterstäben, die zwischen uns sind?

Es gibt kein Hinüber
von Mensch zu Mensch,
von mir zu dir.

Im letzten Grunde
sind wir einsam. Mit blutendem Munde
ruft die Sehnsucht, und ruft und schreit
vergebens durch die Ewigkeit.

Confirmed with Albert Sergel, Jenseits der Straße. Gedichte und Stimmungen, Rostock: C.J.E. Volckmann (Volckmann & Wette), 1905, page 93.

Text Authorship:

by Albert Sergel (1876 - 1946), "Einsam . .", appears in Jenseits der Strasse: Gedichte und Stimmungen, in Aus Morgennebeln . . [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Philippine Schick (1893 - 1970), "Einsam", op. 12 no. 5 (1924), first performed 1925 [ bass or baritone and piano ], from Lieder der Sehsucht, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Solitary . .", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2023-10-13
Line count: 10
Word count: 54

Solitary . .

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Of what use is my calling, my screaming for you?
Of what help is my shaking that sinks powerlessly
down along the bars that are between us?

There is no crossing over
from human to human,
from me to you.

Fundamentally
we are solitary. With bleeding lips
yearning calls, and calls and screams
in vain through eternity.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2023 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Albert Sergel (1876 - 1946), "Einsam . .", appears in Jenseits der Strasse: Gedichte und Stimmungen, in Aus Morgennebeln . .
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2023-11-14
Line count: 10
Word count: 57