22.8.07

in the very thick...

Paul Celan

“A rumbling…”


A rumbling: truth
itself has appeared
among humankind
in the very thick of their
flurrying metaphors.

*

Tom Waits

Soldier’s Things


Davenports and kettle drums
and swallow tailcoats
tablecloths and patent leather shoes
bathing suits and bowling balls
and clarinets and rings
and all this radio really
needs is a fuse
a tinker, a tailor
a soldier’s things
his rifle, his boots full of rocks
and this one is for bravery
and this one is for me
and everything’s a dollar
in this box

Cuff links and hub caps
trophies and paperbacks
it’s good transportation
but the brakes aren’t so hot
necktie and boxing gloves
this jackknife is rusted
you can pound that dent out
on the hood
a tinker, a tailor
a soldier’s things
his rifle, his boots full of rocks
oh and this one is for bravery
and this one is for me
and everything’s a dollar
in this box

2 comments:

Andrew Shields said...

The grumpy translator (though not of this poem, so it's nothing personal) says, "Please credit the translator of the Celan."

The cheerful Tom Waits fan says, "Thanks for the great lines from TW!" What a great song that is, and a lesson for poets, too.

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Michael Hamburger - I didn't have the original in front of me. Sorry