MAYDAY

THE READER by Robert Walser (translated by Daniele Pantano)

Contributed By: ,

With one of those train station dime store books,
he settled into his nest.
He saw how the hotel governesses banished
him with their disapproving stares.
The nest I’ve just mentioned
bribed him with its privacy,
it was a fine spot shaded
by delicate twigs, above him
and his book, his dreaming, the putti
dip down to his head with caresses,
flies are buzzing amid lush leaves
and turn towards the fragrant scent,
and he who is reading the little book,
happy with its interesting content,
surrounded by flowers soft and kind,
wastes precious time without a care.

DER LESER

Mit einem Bahnhofhallenbüchelein
setzt’ er sich in ein Nest hinein.
Er sah von Hotelgouvernanten
sich angekränkelt, die ihn bannten.
Das Nest, wovon soeben ich gesprochen,
hat ihn mit seiner Heimlichkeit bestochen,
ein Plätzchen war’s, von feinen Zweigen
beschattet, Amoretten neigen
sich dort ob ihm und seinem Lesen, Träumen,
um kosend ihm den Kopf zu säumen,
im Blätterreiche summen Fliegen,
die um den würz’gen Duft sich biegen,
und der, der in dem Büchlein liest,
glücklich ob dessen int’ressantem Inhalt ist,
güt’ge Blumen umschmeicheln ihn,
kostbare Zeit geht sorglos hin.

Reprinted with the friendly permission of Suhrkamp Verlag and the Robert Walser-Zentrum.

 

Return to table of contents for Issue 4 Summer 2011

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