ALS ICH EINES ABENDS AUSGING - AS I WALKED OUT ONE EVENING - W.H. Auden

 Edward Hopper Nachtfenster 1928

ALS ICH EINES ABENDS AUSGING

Als ich eines Abends ausging,
durch die Bristolstraße schritt,
Da war die Menge am Gehsteig
Ein Weizenfeld vor dem Schnitt.

Ich hörte beim schäumenden Fluß,
Wo der Eisenbahnbogen sich schwang:
„Liebe hat kein Ende.“
Das war ein Verliebter, der sang.

„Ich liebe dich, Liebe, ich lieb dich,
Bis der Fluß den Berg überspringt,
Bis sich China und Afrika treffen
und der Fisch auf der Straße singt.

Ich lieb dich, bis vom Wäschestrick
Der trocknende Ozean weht
Und eine schreiende Gänseschar statt
Der sieben Sterne am Himmel steht.

Wie Hasen sollen die Jahre
Laufen. Mein Arm hält
Die Blume aller Zeiten
Und die erste Liebe der Welt.“

Von den Glockentürmen der Stadt
Aber scholl es und schrie:
„Laß nicht die Zeit dich trügen,
Du besiegst die Zeit nie.

In den Wühlstollen des Alptraums,
Wo Gerechtigkeit nackt sein muß,
Wartet die Zeit unter Schatten
Und hustet vor deinem Kuß.

In Kopfschmerz und in Sorgen
Wird das Leben im Nebel verstreut,
Die Zeit tut, was ihr einfällt,
Morgen oder heut.

In viele grüne Täler
Weht der schlimme Schnee;
Zeit bricht die verschlungenen Tänze
Und des Tauchers Sprung in die See.

O tauch deine Hände ins Wasser,
Tauch ein bis ans Handgelenk,
Starre, starre ins Becken
Und was du versäumt hast, denk.

Der Gletscher poltert im Kasten,
Im Bett die Wüste ächzt,
bis die Straße ins Land der Toten
Aus dem Sprung in der Teetasse wächst.

Wo die Bettler Banknoten verlottern
Und der Riese die Kinder nicht frißt
Und der Däumling ein schrecklicher Raufbold
Und Mariechen gefallen ist.

O schau, schau in den Spiegel,
Schau deinen Kummer an;
Dir auch ist Leben ein Segen,
Dir, der nicht segnen kann.

O steh, steh beim Fenster,
Jetzt kommt der Träne Schmerz;
Du sollst lieben den krummen Nachbar
Mit deinem krummen Herz.“

Es war spät, spät am Abend,
Keine Glocke rief;
Die Liebenden waren gegangen,
Und der Fluß rann tief.

Übertragen von Ernst Jandl

 Edward Hopper Haus in der Dämmerung 1935

AS I WALKED OUT ONE EVENING

As I walked out one evening, Walking down Bristol Street, The crowds upon the pavement Were fields of harvest wheat. And down by the brimming river I heard a lover sing Under an arch of the railway: 'Love has no ending. 'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street, 'I'll love you till the ocean Is folded and hung up to dry And the seven stars go squawking Like geese about the sky. 'The years shall run like rabbits, For in my arms I hold The Flower of the Ages, And the first love of the world.' But all the clocks in the city Began to whirr and chime: 'O let not Time deceive you, You cannot conquer Time. 'In the burrows of the Nightmare Where Justice naked is, Time watches from the shadow And coughs when you would kiss. 'In headaches and in worry Vaguely life leaks away, And Time will have his fancy To-morrow or to-day. 'Into many a green valley Drifts the appalling snow; Time breaks the threaded dances And the diver's brilliant bow. 'O plunge your hands in water, Plunge them in up to the wrist; Stare, stare in the basin And wonder what you've missed. 'The glacier knocks in the cupboard, The desert sighs in the bed, And the crack in the tea-cup opens A lane to the land of the dead. 'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes And the Giant is enchanting to Jack, And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer, And Jill goes down on her back. 'O look, look in the mirror, O look in your distress: Life remains a blessing Although you cannot bless. 'O stand, stand at the window As the tears scald and start; You shall love your crooked neighbour With your crooked heart.' It was late, late in the evening, The lovers they were gone; The clocks had ceased their chiming, And the deep river ran on. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15551#sthash.9OrxDihR.dpuf

 As I walked out one evening,
Walking down Bristol Street,
The crowds upon the pavement
Were fields of harvest wheat.

And down by the brimming river
I heard a lover sing
Under an arch of the railway:
'Love has no ending.

'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you
Till China and Africa meet,
And the river jumps over the mountain
And the salmon sing in the street,

'I'll love you till the ocean
Is folded and hung up to dry
And the seven stars go squawking
Like geese about the sky.

'The years shall run like rabbits,
For in my arms I hold
The Flower of the Ages,
And the first love of the world.'

But all the clocks in the city
Began to whirr and chime:
'O let not Time deceive you,
You cannot conquer Time.

'In the burrows of the Nightmare
Where Justice naked is,
Time watches from the shadow
And coughs when you would kiss.

'In headaches and in worry
Vaguely life leaks away,
And Time will have his fancy
To-morrow or to-day.

'Into many a green valley
Drifts the appalling snow;
Time breaks the threaded dances
And the diver's brilliant bow.

'O plunge your hands in water,
Plunge them in up to the wrist;
Stare, stare in the basin
And wonder what you've missed.

'The glacier knocks in the cupboard,
The desert sighs in the bed,
And the crack in the tea-cup opens
A lane to the land of the dead.

'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes
And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,
And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,
And Jill goes down on her back.

'O look, look in the mirror?
O look in your distress:
Life remains a blessing
Although you cannot bless.

'O stand, stand at the window
As the tears scald and start;
You shall love your crooked neighbour
With your crooked heart.'

It was late, late in the evening,
The lovers they were gone;
The clocks had ceased their chiming,
And the deep river ran on. 

W. H. Auden

As I walked out one evening, Walking down Bristol Street, The crowds upon the pavement Were fields of harvest wheat. And down by the brimming river I heard a lover sing Under an arch of the railway: 'Love has no ending. 'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street, 'I'll love you till the ocean Is folded and hung up to dry And the seven stars go squawking Like geese about the sky. 'The years shall run like rabbits, For in my arms I hold The Flower of the Ages, And the first love of the world.' But all the clocks in the city Began to whirr and chime: 'O let not Time deceive you, You cannot conquer Time. 'In the burrows of the Nightmare Where Justice naked is, Time watches from the shadow And coughs when you would kiss. 'In headaches and in worry Vaguely life leaks away, And Time will have his fancy To-morrow or to-day. 'Into many a green valley Drifts the appalling snow; Time breaks the threaded dances And the diver's brilliant bow. 'O plunge your hands in water, Plunge them in up to the wrist; Stare, stare in the basin And wonder what you've missed. 'The glacier knocks in the cupboard, The desert sighs in the bed, And the crack in the tea-cup opens A lane to the land of the dead. 'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes And the Giant is enchanting to Jack, And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer, And Jill goes down on her back. 'O look, look in the mirror, O look in your distress: Life remains a blessing Although you cannot bless. 'O stand, stand at the window As the tears scald and start; You shall love your crooked neighbour With your crooked heart.' It was late, late in the evening, The lovers they were gone; The clocks had ceased their chiming, And the deep river ran on. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15551#sthash.9OrxDihR.dpuf

Edward Hopper Nachtschatten 1921

As I walked out one evening, Walking down Bristol Street, The crowds upon the pavement Were fields of harvest wheat. And down by the brimming river I heard a lover sing Under an arch of the railway: 'Love has no ending. 'I'll love you, dear, I'll love you Till China and Africa meet, And the river jumps over the mountain And the salmon sing in the street, 'I'll love you till the ocean Is folded and hung up to dry And the seven stars go squawking Like geese about the sky. 'The years shall run like rabbits, For in my arms I hold The Flower of the Ages, And the first love of the world.' But all the clocks in the city Began to whirr and chime: 'O let not Time deceive you, You cannot conquer Time. 'In the burrows of the Nightmare Where Justice naked is, Time watches from the shadow And coughs when you would kiss. 'In headaches and in worry Vaguely life leaks away, And Time will have his fancy To-morrow or to-day. 'Into many a green valley Drifts the appalling snow; Time breaks the threaded dances And the diver's brilliant bow. 'O plunge your hands in water, Plunge them in up to the wrist; Stare, stare in the basin And wonder what you've missed. 'The glacier knocks in the cupboard, The desert sighs in the bed, And the crack in the tea-cup opens A lane to the land of the dead. 'Where the beggars raffle the banknotes And the Giant is enchanting to Jack, And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer, And Jill goes down on her back. 'O look, look in the mirror, O look in your distress: Life remains a blessing Although you cannot bless. 'O stand, stand at the window As the tears scald and start; You shall love your crooked neighbour With your crooked heart.' It was late, late in the evening, The lovers they were gone; The clocks had ceased their chiming, And the deep river ran on. - See more at: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15551#sthash.9OrxDihR.dpuf