Guder Daag Blog Leser! Ich bin schtolz mit eich en ganz neies Gedicht zu deele. Neilich schaff ich uff en greessere Gedicht Project mit dem Michael Clay. Der Michael iss en geborener un erzoggener Deitscher vun re Susquehanna Rewwer Gegend. Nau wuhnt er in Virginia, awwer die deitsche Kuldur un der deitsche Geischt fliesst noch darrich sei Odre. Zamme hoffe mir en grosse Sammlung vun neie Gedichte in Englisch un Deitsch allebeed vorzubringe. All vun de Gedichte waerre unsere Kuldur un Schprooch unnersuche mit en Eidruck uff was nau am lewe iss. Ya, es waerrd Nucke zu unsre reiche Vergangeheit gewwe, awwer unser Focus waerrd uff heidesdaags sei. Do iss en Gedicht um dei Luschde zu wetze:
Mudderschprooch
Schwetzscht du noch selle wareme Schprooch
Die lang lang zerick gschwetzt waar?
Wann epper uff Kaffigraht gucke kennt,
Un seh sell Sunn gut aagenumme waar,
Un ass die Topsoil darr behaldet.
Wann Heemedde un Graabschtee noch Oscht
Um Nacht Lifdel zu fange, un zu fange gucke,
Die zwette kumme vun der Sunn?
Un yuuscht du noch selle Hexe Wadde
Die gude Zeeche bringe, wann du yuuscht
Rude um verschteckelte Wasser zu Finne, un
Dauch in erwickunge Rewwer?
Vielleicht schwetzscht du in Terms vun Watzle,
Schtemm un Zacke bei Versammlinge
Alliepper schwetze zamme, die
Trooscht vun en gewehnliche alde Zung,
Lang zerick geformt un weit weg.
Odder hoscht du die Wadde verlore, vun
Die Gedechtnis gefalle, vun dem Schelf
Wu du dei Freindschaft Schatze behalde.
Die mied waxe, die grohe Schtaab sammelt?
Hello blog readers! I am proud to share with all of you a brand new poem. I am currently working on a much larger poetry project with Michael Clay. Michael is a born and bred PA Dutchman from the Susquehanna River area. He know lives in Virginia but the Dutch culture and spirit still flow through his veins. Together we hope to produce a large collection of new poetry in both English and PA Dutch. All of the poems will explore our culture and language with an emphasis on what is living now. Yes, there will be nods to our rich past, but our focus will be on the current day. Here is a poem to whet your appetite:
Mudderschprooch – Mother Tongue
Do you speak that warm language still
That was spoken long, long ago?
When one could look at chicory,
And see that sun was well received,
And that the topsoil kept dry.
When homes and headstones faced eastward,
to catch night breezes, and to catch
The second coming of the Sun?
And do you still use those hex words
Which bring good omens, when you use
Rods to find hidden waters, and
Submerge in revival rivers?
Perhaps you speak in terms of roots,
Trunks and branches at gatherings
All speaking in unison, the
Comfort of the common old tongue,
Formed along ago, and far away.
Or have you lost the words, fallen
From your memory, from the shelf
Where you keep your kinship treasures,
Growing tired, gathering grey dust?
Do iss en Audio Clip in Deitsch – Here is an audio clip of the PA Dutch:
PA Dutch 101 