Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gerhard Falkner

THE PAIN OF THE WORLD

”Sigh!” - if only I could sigh
without having to mean the sigh
that curls up before this sigh
for if  Nothing came along I could sigh and say:
all for Nothing! In brotherly fashion this sigh
would jump to the aid of  Nothing
the old shoulder embrace of sigh and Nothing
would stand at the ready, to carry the world\'s pain
on its hands, and the nIGHt, the night of world pain
would have taken the sigh into its midst,
and enveloped it with darkness, and Nought
I mean Nought Nought, not even a Nought at Night
would ever have to flee without a
”sigh!” following right behind.
                                           For Nothing.

W e l t s c h m e r z

W e l t s c h m e r z

  Ach könnt ich doch ach sagen können
  ohne ein Ach damit meinen zu müssen
  das sich windet vor diesem Ach
  denn käme Umsonst dazu könnte ich sagen:
  Ach, alles umsonst! Brüderlich würde
  das Ach dem Umsonst beispringen
  der alte Schulterschluß von Ach und Umsonst
  stünde bereit, den Weltschmerz auf Händen
  zu tragen, die nACHt, die Weltschmerznacht
  hätte das Ach in ihre Mitte genommen
  und mit Dunkelheit umsorgt, und nichts
  gar nichts, aber auch gar nichts nachts
  würde mehr fliehen müssen dem nicht ein
  Ach hinterherflöge.
                                Umsonst.
Close

THE PAIN OF THE WORLD

”Sigh!” - if only I could sigh
without having to mean the sigh
that curls up before this sigh
for if  Nothing came along I could sigh and say:
all for Nothing! In brotherly fashion this sigh
would jump to the aid of  Nothing
the old shoulder embrace of sigh and Nothing
would stand at the ready, to carry the world\'s pain
on its hands, and the nIGHt, the night of world pain
would have taken the sigh into its midst,
and enveloped it with darkness, and Nought
I mean Nought Nought, not even a Nought at Night
would ever have to flee without a
”sigh!” following right behind.
                                           For Nothing.

THE PAIN OF THE WORLD

”Sigh!” - if only I could sigh
without having to mean the sigh
that curls up before this sigh
for if  Nothing came along I could sigh and say:
all for Nothing! In brotherly fashion this sigh
would jump to the aid of  Nothing
the old shoulder embrace of sigh and Nothing
would stand at the ready, to carry the world\'s pain
on its hands, and the nIGHt, the night of world pain
would have taken the sigh into its midst,
and enveloped it with darkness, and Nought
I mean Nought Nought, not even a Nought at Night
would ever have to flee without a
”sigh!” following right behind.
                                           For Nothing.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère