Klaus Eberhardinger

I like Austrian Drama Pop. Here is my own translation into English. Klaus Eberhardinger has a peerless presence. Erste Allgemeine Verunsicherung`s staged song may be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBMnkVXq1iE

`Death`

It's Twelve in the night
Outside a storm's going,
the death-bells knell.
Once again - someone's off into the Grave

Death is a fair man -
be you rich or poor.
"Dead is dead,"
says the worm.
Once a corpse, we're all alike.

You can be lazy your life long
- or busy as hell -
Five days after Death's got you,
Everybody starts to rot all soft.

Given what I can sense
about the ol' Scythe-father,
I can hear this shriek outside
to make alkylene freeze in my veins:

"Every one of you,
"Every one!"

Black coat, swarthen hat -
A scary figure!
He's got a scythe
and an egg-timer!

Slowly he comes closer,
clops on the door
- I smell a whiff of mold
as he says to me,

REFRAIN:
"Greetings - I am Death!
Gone is your distress.
Come, your time is up,
Get movin and no fuss
It's me - the godfather!"

I tell the old father
"Come in, come closer!
but scythes I won't need to buy
-- I got my own lawnmower !!
You must be awfully hungry
-- you're nothing but bones.
Shall I make you hot spiked tea,
or boil you some soup?"

He drinks a tea down,
then the next - the whole way to X
- he throws it down his ribs.
But he only burns his teeth -
He's no lips, you see.

But then he grips his egg-timer -
My hair goes up stiff to heaven!
He taps me on my shoulder --
and introduces himself again!

***"Greetings - I am Death!
Your distress is over.
Come, your time is up,
Get movin and no fuss
It's me - the ol' godfather!"

He whets his scythe:
"Before I mow you down,
bring me another, one final Jager Tea."

But after the fifth cup
the gaffer loosens up!
He rattles his bones and mounts the barn stool:

"Every one of you!
E-e-e-e-e-e-vry Man!"

"Listen now, you're mistaken!
My name's not Everyman !
you need to go to Salzburg -
That's where Death's at home!"

I go with him to the station - had to carry him right to the train!
I buy him another ticket and set him in the dining car.

The train rolls away - I'm wallking on air!
I wave him off from behind.
He sways there with his scythe
and says to the cart porter:

"Greetings,
I am Death!
Your distress is over.
Come, brother, come,
Bring me quick a Jager Tea, but with loads of rum!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jagertee: 'hunter's tea' - black tea with rum

Fire Is Hotter Than Blood

37° F/3° C. Chewed on life on the porch with my brother. Puffed, sipped and mingled thoughts with my brother. Frozen toes, warm counsel. A smoke arose. A secret congress. A consort howl. A breath of half-forgotten strength vented from below, or from above. The vagabond wolf, separated from the pack, finds the warmest hearth. What is kinship when its bonds die away? Friendship remains: The guide to turf, to den, to country, to money, to mate, to feast – to every spoiled dream.

Unknown Once Now Hidden by Naught

There we the once-sundered together were blended,
we strangers, unknown once, were hidden by naught.
I kissed and I wondered how doubt was all ended,
How friendly her excellent fairness was wrought.

....

Haste! mount and haste
Ere the short night waste,
For night and day,
Late turned away,
Draw nigh again
All kissing-fain;
And the morn and the moon
Shall be married full soon.
So ride we together with wealth-winning wand,
The steel o'er the leather, the ash in the hand.
Lo! white walls before us, and high are they built;
But the luck that outwore us now lies on their guilt;
Lo! the open gate biding the first of the sun,
And to peace are we riding, for slaughter is done.

-William Morris, The Well at the World's End

From the East the Donkey Came, Mally's Meek, Prophecy of the End (self-sung)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yoOyIl2LIs&feature=related

This song originally hails from a 12th century Latin song "Orientis Partibus" which first appeared in France and is usually attributed to Pierre de Corbeil, Bishop of Sens (d 1222) ("Office de la circoncision," "Lew manuscrit de l’office de la Circoncision de Notre-Dame-du-Puy," or "L’Office de Pierre de Corbeil," circa 1210). The Feast of the Circumcision is celebrated on January 1. The song is associated with the Feast of Fools.

The tune is said to have been part of the Fete de l’Ane (The Donkey’s Festival), which celebrated the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt and was a regular Christmas observance in Beauvais and Sens, France in the 13th century. During the mass, it was common for a donkey to be led or ridden into the church.

The words and tune were designed to give thanks for the ass on which Mary rode, and began: Orientis partibus Adventavit asinus (‘From the East the ass has come’). Each verse was sung, and finished with the chorus ‘Hail, Sir donkey, hail’. It was a solemn affair, but the tune became very popular in 17th and 18th century Germany.

Orientis partibus
adventavit asinus,
pulcher et fortissimus,
Sarcinis aptissimus.

Hez, Sire Asne, hez!

Hic in collibus Sychen
iam nutritus sub Ruben
transiit per Jordanem
saliit in Bethlehem

Saltu vincit hinnulos
damas et capreolos
super dromedarios
velox madianeos

Dum trahit vehicula
multa cum sarcinula
illius mandibula
dura terit pabula

Cum aristis, hordeum
comedit et carduum
triticum ex palea
segregat in area

Amen dicas, asine
Iam satur ex gramine
amen, amen itera
aspernare vetera

An English Translation:
In Easter Lands
the ass arrived
beautiful and strongest,
for burden fittest made.

Here in the hills of Sychen
nursed now below Ruben,
he crosses over Jordan
he enters Bethlehem!

In his leaps he conquers mules
fallow deer and roebucks
and surpasses camels
so speedy of the Medes.

While he pulls the wagons,
many loaded heavy,
using his jaws,
he grinds the tough fodder.

He eats barley, beards and all,
and the spiny thistles,
Separates the wheat from chaff
on the threshing floor.

You say Amen to the ass,
now all filled with grass!
"Amen, Amen!" once again,
spurning what is passed.

**********************
From the East the donkey came,Stout
and strong as twenty men;Ears like wings and eyes like flame,Striding
into Bethlehem.Faster than the deer he
leapt,With his burden on his back;Though all other creatures
slept,Still the ass kept on his track.Still
he draws his heavy load,Fed on barley and rough hay;
Pulling on along the road--Donkey,pull our sins away!Wrap him now in cloth of gold;All rejoice who see him pass;Mirth inhabit young and old On this Feast Day of the Ass.
Refrain: Heh! Heh, Sir Ass, Oh Heh!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeRPZS5-4Vc

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHYLpHb3NOo

Clan and Cousin Cluster in Michigan

Thursday afternoon clear, unclammy and cloudless. Went critter watching with cousin's son Athan, looking upclose at ant-mounds, subterranean groundhog kingdoms, sunfish, frogs, toads, spider webs, water spiders, snake-holes, and poison ivy (Athan [6 years?] noted that an ivy palm missing two leaves is one-leaved but STILL infectious!). After this, we carved AthaN-athan crossword style into a beech. Appalachian grandparents and 20-some relations present.

Cheesequest

I cycled with my merry men 20 miles to & from Monroe for Baumgartners Cheese Store & Tavern (Limburger Liverwurst on rye), the Swiss House (Ribeye sandwiches) & outdoor munchables along the way. Geo-cache found under bridge. The tree-lined path crossed brooks, ran tween cooling cliff-faces, went flanked by phlox all purple & most
poisonous pretty hemlocks. Moonshadows followed us home.

The Merry Mouth of Ystwyth Wants to Munch Me !

Professor Jem Poster at U of Aberystwyth says my CW application is strong and desires to tele-interview with me! I've arranged to speak with him this coming Monday in the late morning - in the British evening.