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humans

Erich Fried
this site contains the german originals
& my own translations
i hope despite my incomplete english
you get the confusing depth
of Erich Fried's verses

ashes

reckless artistic nature

learning process

anxiety and doubt

earn and bear

constructive self criticism

speechless

preservation of materia

strange child

liberation from the big idols

need knows no command

of the inner freedom

abandoned room

a collector

reasons

one agitated poet's questions

the edge

what it is

  of the inner freedom

i stooped
to kiss
our master's
shiny black boots
there he said:
deeper!

as i stooped deeper
i sensed in me
masterly
the resistance
of my spine
which wanted not to be bent

lucky i crawled further
thankful to our master
for that experience
of my inner
dignity
and strength



Von der inneren Freiheit

Ich bückte mich
um die glänzenden schwarzen Stiefel
unseres Herren
zu küssen
da sagte er:
Tiefer!

Als ich mich tiefer bückte
spürte ich in mir
herrlich
den Widerstand
meines Rückgrats
das wollte nicht krumm sein

Froh kroch ich weiter
dankbar unserem Herren
für dieses Erlebnis
meiner inneren
Würde
und Kraft


first published 1969
in 'Die Beine der größeren Lügen' ('The feet of big lies')


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humans