by Paul Scheerbart (1863 - 1915)
Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Ein Säufertraum
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
Ich war im Traume betrunken
Und sah ein altes Kamel,
Das war zu Boden gesunken --
Es lachte -- bei meiner Seel!

Und bald lag mein ganzes Genie
Neben dem lachenden Vieh.
Der Himmel lachte über mir,
Und ich trank immer noch für Vier.

Mein Kamel kam nicht zu kurz dabei;
Ich ließ es trinken fast für Drei.
Dies war meine schönste Zecherei;
Ich fühlte mich so groß und frei.

Ich trinke -- bei meiner ewigen Seele! --
Nur noch mit einem alten Kamele.
Mit Menschen trinken ist der größte Kohl --
Kamele nur verstehn den Alkohol.

Text 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 (Gary Bachlund) , "A drunkard's dream", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-02-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 92

A drunkard's dream
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
I was drunk and dreaming
And saw an old camel
That had fallen on the floor --
It laughed -- by my soul!

And soon the whole of my genius
Was on the laughing creature.
The heavens laughed above me,
And I drank enough for four!

My camel happened to come nearby;
I let it drink enough for three.
That was my best roaring drunk;
I felt myself both great and free.

I drink -- by my own soul! --
Only with my old camel.
With men, drinking is the greatest rot --
But camels truly understand alcohol.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

 
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-02-01
Line count: 16
Word count: 93