German poems in English (new feature by MissHoneychurch)

Heinrich Heine

The Silesian weavers (1844)

No tears in their eyes, darkened by gloom,
They snarl, sitting by the loom:
Germany, we weave your shroud, bit by bit,
And it is the triple curse that we weave in it -
We are weaving, we are weaving!

A curse to the God, whom we used to pray
In the cold of winder, every hungry day;
We hoped in vain, we waited in vain,
He has mocked us, fooled us in our pain –
We are weaving, we are weaving!

A curse to the king, the king of the wealthy,
Who could not be moved by our misery,
Who squeezed from us our last penny,
And like dogs, let us be shot and die in agony –
We are weaving, we are weaving!

A curse to our fake country,
Where every flower gets snapped too early,
Where only shame and infamy can thrive,
Where rottenness and decay keep the worms alive –
We are weaving, we are weaving!

The shuttle flies, the loom crackles loud
Old Germany, we are weaving your shroud,
We weave day and night, we do not quit -
And it is the triple curse that we weave in it,
We are weaving , we are weaving!



One of the most powerful poems I ever read. It get chills reading it.

I'd never read it. It is very powerful. I felt like I was on a carousel...

:thumbsup:

Lorelei

I'm looking in vain for the reason
That I am so sad and distressed;
A tale known for many a season
Will not allow me to rest.

Cool is the air in the twilight
And quietly flows the Rhine;
The mountain top glows with a highlight
From the evening sun's last shine.

The fairest of maiden's reposing
So wonderously up there.
Her golden treasure disclosing;
She's combing her golden hair.

She combs it with comb of gold
And meanwhile sings a song
With melody strangely bold
And overpoweringly strong.

The boatman in his small craft
Is seized with longings, and sighs.
He sees not the rocks fore and aft;
He looks only up towards the skies.

I fear that the waves shall be flinging
Both vessel and man to their end;
That must have been what with her singing
The Lorelei did intend.

chose this poem! I know this story well. My grandmother lived in St. Goarshausen. She passed away a long time ago, but I did get the opportunity to meet her. That's a beautiful part of Germany.

it is one of the most famous poems by Heinrich Heine "Und das hat mit ihrem Singen / Die Lorelei getan." :D

We sure have some nice areas in Germany. That part of the Rhein with all its ruins is one of them ;)

A very powerful poem. And to think that a small uprising by Silesian weavers could inspire such sympathy and outrage!

on the uprising in English but couldn't find anything. I think it makes the poem more understandable. Glad to read that you know about it.