by Erich Kurt Mühsam (1878 - 1934)
Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Rendezvous
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Our translations:  ENG
Ich bin verdammt zu warten
in einem Bürgergarten
auf das geliebte Weib.
Nun sitz ich hier als Beute
gewissenloser Leute
mit breitem Unterleib.
Sie sind so froh beim Biere,
bald zwei, bald drei, bald viere -
und reden vom Geschäft.
Die Gattin spricht vom Hause,
die Töchter trinken Brause,
und Flock, das Hündchen, kläfft.
Die Kellnerinnen schwirren.
Die Tischgeschirre klirren.
Der Himmel scheint so blau.
Wie süß ist's doch, zu warten
in einem Bürgergarten
auf die geliebte Frau.

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) , "Rendezvous", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-02-02
Line count: 18
Word count: 77

Rendezvous
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
I am condemned to wait
in a city park
For a beloved gal.
Now I sit as prey
of unscrupulous folk
with bulging bellies.
They are all so jolly from beer,
Soon two, then three, then four --
And blabber about their dealings.
The wife chats of house things,
The daughters drink fizzy things,
And Snowflake, the hound, yawns.
The serving wenches buzz about,
The dishes clatter and clink.
The heaven shines so blue.
How sweet to be condemned to wait
in a city park
For the beloved wife.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

 
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-02-02
Line count: 18
Word count: 88