Poem
Ann Cotten
STRANGE FUGUE (PANIC)
And the people came and looked on, holding their rings in their fingers.How they talked! “Where would the lie be, then?” and again,
“Where would be the lie?” For unwittingly the songs
had found the subjunctive, a present milder
than the times allowed.
More gallant
and more false were the words of the culture men.*
They are used to mastering everything with grace, covering
abominable gaps with pretty lids, adding banisters
and standing on it all, even though it slants.
And they talk then, inconspicuously, so all can see
how easy it could be.
But one is not everyone, no!
Exceptions, wildly defended, look best on those
who know how to avoid quelques choses.
They will always be the knob and not the hand.
Shareholders fanned the wounds with their light clothing.
They claim to understand things that come like giant cranes.
So we used them as gods, irregular gods
to play along the hems of the customers.
The latter, clouds in pants, sleeping hustlers,
wanked around in swarms, gushing like animals, spitting
fire when it tipped and threw them off. They mixed
fondness and fear, their love was horrible; ironic
observers observed large stains spreading over the land.
The observers tried to show something with curious saltations.
But the people just twisted their rings and twisted and twisted them.
They did not want to take that step, for as it was, they knew
their problems safely separated from their solutions,
which scared them.
And thus they lived long with heartburn and nausea,
saw the foe in their bedrooms and ignored him.
© Translation: 2011, Ann Cotten
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011
Publisher: First published on PIW, , 2011
Gottfried Benn coined the dichotomy Kulturtraeger and Kunsttraeger, carriers of culture rsp of art. Whereas the former take care of a functioning society, the latter are a- and anti-social thinkers and feelers; society sometimes has a place for them; even this place they cannot accept fully, a home is a thing impossible. For example: for a carrier of culture, beauty would be a supplement to the world, a special treat that enriches our lives and can be enjoyed and cultivated. For a carrier of art, beauty is more dangerous; she cannot stop at sensible use of things but must think them into the absolute; she will have to follow this beauty no matter where this takes her; she cannot enjoy it disconnected from her day job, so sometimes she gives up her day job to follow the beauty and sometimes she is unhappy because she daren’t do that. For such reasons the carriers of culture often have the role of playing parent to the carriers of art.
VREEMDE FUGA
En zo kwamen de mensen kijken, hun ring in de vingers.Hoe de mensen praatten! ‘Waar zou de leugen blijven?’ en weer:
‘Waar zou de leugen blijven?’ Want onwillekeurig hadden de liederen
de conjunctief presens gevonden, zachter
dan de tijden eigenlijk toestaan.
Galanter
en fouter drukten de cultuurdragers zich uit. Zij
weten alles altijd weer elegant te beredderen, gruwelijke
kloven met platen te bedekken, leuningen
aan te brengen en, ook al is een en ander scheef, erop te staan
en onopvallend te spreken, opdat allen zouden zien
hoe gemakkelijk het zou gaan.
Maar een enkeling zijn niet allen, nee!
De heftig verdedigde uitzondering kan gemakkelijk de man kleden
die de kunst verstaat het meeste te ontlopen.
Hij zal altijd gesp zijn, nooit wesp.
Met hun gemakkelijke kleding waaiden vennoten wonden koelte toe.
Zij beweerden dingen te begrijpen die als
reuzenkranen kwamen; zo namen we hen gewoon als
goden aan, onregelmatige goden aan de klanten hun zomen.
Deze, wolken in broeken, de slapende namen,
dwaalden in zwermen, dweepten als dieren en plengden
gif, als het kantelde en hen afwierp. Zij mengden
lusten met vrees, de liefde was vreselijk, de spotters
namen overal opduikende vlekken waar.
Zij probeerden hun met gek gestuiter iets te zeggen.
Maar ze draaiden en draaiden hun ring en draaiden hem.
Ze willen deze stap niet zetten, zo hielden ze
de problemen netjes gescheiden van de uitwegen die hen deden rillen.
Zo leefden ze lang, met brandend maagzuur; ontwaarden de vijand en versmaadden hem.
© Vertaling: 2011, Erik de Smedt
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
SELTSAME FUGE
Und es kamen die Leute und schauten, den Ring in den Fingern.Wie die Leute sprachen! “Wo bliebe die Lüge?” und wieder:
“Wo bliebe die Lüge?” Denn ungewusst hatten die Lieder
den konjunktivischen Präsens gefunden, einen linderen
als eigentlich die Zeiten erlauben.
Galanter
und falscher drückten sich die Kulturträger aus. Sie
sind gewohnt, elegant alles zu meistern, grausige
Zwischenräume mit Platten zu decken, Geländer
einzufügen und, wenn es auch schief ist, darauf zu stehen
und merkmallos zu reden, dass alle sehen
wie leicht es ginge.
Einer sind aber nicht alle, nein!
Die wild verteidigte Ausnahme kann leicht kleiden
den, der es versteht, das meiste zu meiden.
Er wird immer Schnalle, nicht Kralle sein.
Mit ihrer leichten Kleidung befächelten Gesellschafter Wunden.
Sie behaupteten, Dinge zu verstehen, die wie
Riesen-Krane kamen; da nahmen wir eben sie wie
Götter hin, unregelmäßige Götter an den Säumen der Kunden.
Diese, Wolken in Hosen, die schlafenden Namen,
irrten in Schwärmen, schwärmten wie Tiere und zischten
Gift, wenn es kippte und sie abwarf. Sie mischten
Mögen und Furcht, die Liebe war schrecklich, die Spötter
beobachteten sich ausbreitende Flecken.
Sie versuchten durch seltsame Sprünge ihnen etwas mitzuteilen.
Die aber drehten und drehten den Ring und drehten ihn.
Sie wollen diesen Schritt nicht tun, so wussten sie
die Probleme sicher getrennt von den Lösungen, die sie schaudern ließen.
So lebten sie mit Sodbrennen lang; erspähten den Feind und verschmähten ihn.
© 2011, Ann Cotten
Publisher: First published on PIW,
Publisher: First published on PIW,
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STRANGE FUGUE (PANIC)
And the people came and looked on, holding their rings in their fingers.How they talked! “Where would the lie be, then?” and again,
“Where would be the lie?” For unwittingly the songs
had found the subjunctive, a present milder
than the times allowed.
More gallant
and more false were the words of the culture men.*
They are used to mastering everything with grace, covering
abominable gaps with pretty lids, adding banisters
and standing on it all, even though it slants.
And they talk then, inconspicuously, so all can see
how easy it could be.
But one is not everyone, no!
Exceptions, wildly defended, look best on those
who know how to avoid quelques choses.
They will always be the knob and not the hand.
Shareholders fanned the wounds with their light clothing.
They claim to understand things that come like giant cranes.
So we used them as gods, irregular gods
to play along the hems of the customers.
The latter, clouds in pants, sleeping hustlers,
wanked around in swarms, gushing like animals, spitting
fire when it tipped and threw them off. They mixed
fondness and fear, their love was horrible; ironic
observers observed large stains spreading over the land.
The observers tried to show something with curious saltations.
But the people just twisted their rings and twisted and twisted them.
They did not want to take that step, for as it was, they knew
their problems safely separated from their solutions,
which scared them.
And thus they lived long with heartburn and nausea,
saw the foe in their bedrooms and ignored him.
© 2011, Ann Cotten
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Gottfried Benn coined the dichotomy Kulturtraeger and Kunsttraeger, carriers of culture rsp of art. Whereas the former take care of a functioning society, the latter are a- and anti-social thinkers and feelers; society sometimes has a place for them; even this place they cannot accept fully, a home is a thing impossible. For example: for a carrier of culture, beauty would be a supplement to the world, a special treat that enriches our lives and can be enjoyed and cultivated. For a carrier of art, beauty is more dangerous; she cannot stop at sensible use of things but must think them into the absolute; she will have to follow this beauty no matter where this takes her; she cannot enjoy it disconnected from her day job, so sometimes she gives up her day job to follow the beauty and sometimes she is unhappy because she daren’t do that. For such reasons the carriers of culture often have the role of playing parent to the carriers of art.
STRANGE FUGUE (PANIC)
And the people came and looked on, holding their rings in their fingers.How they talked! “Where would the lie be, then?” and again,
“Where would be the lie?” For unwittingly the songs
had found the subjunctive, a present milder
than the times allowed.
More gallant
and more false were the words of the culture men.*
They are used to mastering everything with grace, covering
abominable gaps with pretty lids, adding banisters
and standing on it all, even though it slants.
And they talk then, inconspicuously, so all can see
how easy it could be.
But one is not everyone, no!
Exceptions, wildly defended, look best on those
who know how to avoid quelques choses.
They will always be the knob and not the hand.
Shareholders fanned the wounds with their light clothing.
They claim to understand things that come like giant cranes.
So we used them as gods, irregular gods
to play along the hems of the customers.
The latter, clouds in pants, sleeping hustlers,
wanked around in swarms, gushing like animals, spitting
fire when it tipped and threw them off. They mixed
fondness and fear, their love was horrible; ironic
observers observed large stains spreading over the land.
The observers tried to show something with curious saltations.
But the people just twisted their rings and twisted and twisted them.
They did not want to take that step, for as it was, they knew
their problems safely separated from their solutions,
which scared them.
And thus they lived long with heartburn and nausea,
saw the foe in their bedrooms and ignored him.
© 2011, Ann Cotten
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Publisher: 2011, First published on PIW,
Gottfried Benn coined the dichotomy Kulturtraeger and Kunsttraeger, carriers of culture rsp of art. Whereas the former take care of a functioning society, the latter are a- and anti-social thinkers and feelers; society sometimes has a place for them; even this place they cannot accept fully, a home is a thing impossible. For example: for a carrier of culture, beauty would be a supplement to the world, a special treat that enriches our lives and can be enjoyed and cultivated. For a carrier of art, beauty is more dangerous; she cannot stop at sensible use of things but must think them into the absolute; she will have to follow this beauty no matter where this takes her; she cannot enjoy it disconnected from her day job, so sometimes she gives up her day job to follow the beauty and sometimes she is unhappy because she daren’t do that. For such reasons the carriers of culture often have the role of playing parent to the carriers of art.
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