Translating a poem into German

bus77

I have a German friend and I'd like to send them this poem, but, being a poem, I'm not to sure it would translate to well.
Any thoughts or ideas?

Innocence

They laughed at one I loved-
The triangular hill that hung
Under the Big Forth. They said
That I was bounded by the whitethorn hedges
Of the little farm and did not know the world.
But I knew that love's doorway to life
Is the same doorway everywhere.
Ashamed of what I loved
I flung her from me and called her a ditch
Although she was smiling at me with violets.

But now I am back in her briary arms
The dew of an Indian Summer lies
On bleached potato-stalks
What age am I?

I do not know what age I am,
I am no mortal age;
I know nothing of women,
Nothing of cities,
I cannot die
Unless I walk outside these whitethorn hedges.

Patrick Kavanagh

Kanzler

bus77 wrote: »

I have a German friend and I'd like to send them this poem, but, being a poem, I'm not to sure it would translate to well.
Any thoughts or ideas?

Innocence

They laughed at one I loved-
The triangular hill that hung
Under the Big Forth. They said
That I was bounded by the whitethorn hedges
Of the little farm and did not know the world.
But I knew that love's doorway to life
Is the same doorway everywhere.
Ashamed of what I loved
I flung her from me and called her a ditch
Although she was smiling at me with violets.

But now I am back in her briary arms
The dew of an Indian Summer lies
On bleached potato-stalks
What age am I?

I do not know what age I am,
I am no mortal age;
I know nothing of women,
Nothing of cities,
I cannot die
Unless I walk outside these whitethorn hedges.

Patrick Kavanagh

hi bus,

that would be a very big job. it is really difficult to translate a poem, doesn't matter from which language.

here a attempt to translate that poem into german:

Unschuld

Sie lachten ueber jemanden, den ich liebte

Der drei-schenklige Huegel hing unveraenderlich zu Fuessen

Sie sagten, dort auf der Farm waere ich aus einer Weissdornhecke geschluepft,
ohne die Welt zu kennen

Aber ich wusste, die Liebe ist die Tuer zum Leben
Diese Tuer ist ueberall

Ich schaemte mich dafuer, was ich liebte
Ich stiess sie von mir ab und gab ihr einen Laufpass
Jedoch laechelte sie mich mit ihren Rehaugen an

Nun liege ich wieder in ihren dornigen Armen

Der Tau des indischen Sommers liegt auf den blassen Kartoffelstielen

Wie alt bin ich?

Ich weiss nicht, wie alt ich bin

Ich bin nicht in einem sterbenden Alter

Ueber Frauen weiss ich nichts

Nichts ueber Staedte

Ich kann nicht sterben, bevor ich nicht aus diesen Weissdornhecken herausgehen kann.


Patrick Kavanagh

bus77

Thanks Kanzler, your translation gives a good base to work with.

Kanzler

bus77 wrote: »

Thanks Kanzler, your translation gives a good base to work with.

no problem.