[New-Poetry] Death Fugue #1

[JforJames at aol.com]

Death Fugue
 

Black milk of  dawn we drink it at dusk
we drink it at noon and  at daybreak we drink it at night
we drink and we drink
we are digging a  grave in the air there’s room for us all
A man lives in the house he plays  with the serpents he writes
he writes when it darkens to Germany your golden  hair Margarete
he writes it and steps outside and the stars all aglisten he  whistles for 
his hounds
he whistles for his Jews he has them dig a grave in  the earth
he commands us to play for the dance
 
Black milk of dawn we drink you at night
we drink you at daybreak and  noon we drink you at dusk
we drink and we drink
A man lives in the house  he plays with the serpents he writes
he writes when it darkens to Germany  your golden hair Margarete
Your ashen hair Shulamite we are digging a grave  in the air there’s room for 
us all 
 
He shouts cut deeper in the earth to some the rest of you sing and  play
he reaches for the iron in his belt he heaves it his eyes are  blue
make your spades cut deeper the rest of you play for the dance
 
Black milk of dawn we drink you at night
we drink you now and at  daybreak we drink at dusk
we drink and we drink
a man lives in the house  your golden hair Margarete
your ashen hair Shulamite he plays with the  serpents
 
He shouts play death more sweetly death is a master from Germany
he  shouts play the violins darker you’ll rise as smoke in the air
then you’ll  have a grave in the clouds there’s room for you all

Black milk of  dawn we drink you at night
we drink you at noon death is a master from  Germany
we drink you at dusk and at daybreak we drink and we drink  you
death is a master from Germany his eye is blue
he shoots you with  bullets of lead his aim is true
a man lives in the house your golden hair  Margarete
he sets his hounds on us he gives us a grave in the air
he plays  with the serpents and dreams death is a master from Germany
 
your golden hair Margarete
your ashen hair Shulamite
 
—Paul Celan
 
Transkated by Joachim Neugroschel 
Paul Celan Speech-Grille and Selected  Poems
E.P. Dutton, 1971  




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