So these poems aren't mine. Both by Walter Moers from his book "The City of Dreaming Books".
I love them. So poem-ey. Enjoy!
Where shadows dim with shadows mate
In caverns deep and dark
Where old books dream of bygone days
When they were wood and bark
Where diamonds from coals are born
And no bird ever sings
That region is the dread domain
Ruled by the shadow king
A place accurse’d and forlorn
With walls of books piled high,
Its windows stare like sightless eyes
And through them phantoms fly.
Of leather and of paper built,
Worm-eaten through and through,
The castle known as Shadowhall
Brings every nightmare true.
I love them. So poem-ey. Enjoy!
Where shadows dim with shadows mate
In caverns deep and dark
Where old books dream of bygone days
When they were wood and bark
Where diamonds from coals are born
And no bird ever sings
That region is the dread domain
Ruled by the shadow king
A place accurse’d and forlorn
With walls of books piled high,
Its windows stare like sightless eyes
And through them phantoms fly.
Of leather and of paper built,
Worm-eaten through and through,
The castle known as Shadowhall
Brings every nightmare true.
It's lovley, Octa. It's very dark, but I like it because of that. As Kallista said, almost as fantastic as yours. So close, but so far away. (:P) You will always be the best poet! ^^
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting!
These are awesome! I like dark poems like this. Thanks for sharing them with us!
ReplyDeleteThe translators did well, but the German versions are still nicer:
ReplyDeleteIn tiefen, kahlen, hohlen Räumen
wo Schatten sich mit Schatten paaren
wo alte Bücher Träume träumen
von Zeiten, als sie Bäume waren
wo Kohle Diamant gebiert
man weder Licht noch Gnade kennt
dort ist's, wo jener Geist regiert
den man den Schattenkoenig nennt
Getürmt aus Buch auf Buch
Verlassen und verflucht
gesäumt von toten Fenstern
bewohnt nur von Gespenstern
befallen von Getier
aus Leder und Papier
ein Ort aus Wahn und Schall
genannt Schloss Schattenhall
I don't know if you'll be able to tell... they rhyme, completly. In the first one it's ababcdcd, in the second one aa'bbccdd (the As don't rhyme perfectly, but it's close enough). Also, the translations don't really say the same, but that's probably due to leaving them as poems. ^^
In any case, I hope you can tell they sound nice in German, too. ;)
Not sure of all the German pronunciation but WOW thar rhythm.
ReplyDelete*feels a little dizzy*
That is a fantastic rhythm.
Also I read the 13 and 1/2 lives of Captain Blue Bear. And Rumo and The Alchemaster's Apprentice. Almost finished City of Dreaming Books. AND THEN I WILL HAVE NO MORE WALTER MOERS TO READ.
But plenty of others so its ok.
City of Dreaming books has a sequel... :P
ReplyDeleteOh, and also there's Ensel and Grete... dunno if translated, though.
ReplyDeleteEnsel and Grete has not been translated into English yet.
ReplyDeleteThere is a sequal?
What is it called?