Gustav Jahn Poetry - New English Translations

For those faithful few on this remote Internet island, new English translations of poems in Gustav Jahn's "Neuer Frühling" have been provided by a gifted translator in Austin, Texas. There are being added to the second edition of JAHN II for future publication. But those visiting this blog will be the first to read the stanzas.

Lenz im Winter

 

Im Sommer wars –es flotz der Sonnenglanz

Ums haus auf Blüthenpracht und Saatengold –

Da welkte meine Rose hold,

Da lag mein Lieb so bleich im Todtenkranz.

Man nahm sie mir– trug sie zur kühlen Gruft –

In Blumen eingehüllt sah ich zuletzt sie ruhn:

Nur eine handvoll Erde trennt uns nun,

Und doch – wie eine teife Kluft!

 

It was in the summer—the sunshine flowed

Around the house upon the blossomed splendor and golden corn—

Then my dear rose wilted.

There lay my love so pale in the death wreath.

They took her from me—carried her to the cool tomb—

Shrouded in flowers, at last I saw her resting there:

Just a handful of earth now separates us,

And yet—what a deep chasm

The Missing Book

After all these years, I have still never seen a copy of the first book our great-great-grandfather Gustav Jahn published: Vermischte Gedichte (Miscellaneous Poems). He was 24 when it came out in 1842 and he used the pseudonym Gustav Frisch. One hundred and ten pages of his earliest writings!

Anyone planning a trip to Berlin?

If not, about all we can do is troll the Internet. Here's where I found and purchased most of Gustav's other books: www.zvab.com.

But beware! Someone is reprinting some of Gustav's originals and selling them for 50 bucks! You can see where I highlighted in blue - NEUBUCH - a new book. If you translate the German text, you'll read "Carefully edited reprint of the original edition." Sigh - that's not what Jahn descendants are looking for!