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Corinne
Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167
state of confusion

0 posted 2000-04-27 11:33 PM


German Lessons (revised)

Frau McMickle was kleine,
barely visible over blonde heads,
black bob starkly contrasting
boys sent to sit in front rows.

Lost in syntactical demonstration,
conjugation, confusion being,
verbs at the end always came,
sloppy sounds spraying.

When brains began to burst,
Frau Lehrer read passages aloud,
her Schwartzwald novel,
“Tales of the Siren Lorelei.”

When signs of boredom showed,
she taught us to sing Trinklieder;
one particular chorus recalled:

Trink, trink, Brüderlein trink,
laß doch die Sorgen zu Haus!
Meide den Kummer und meide den Schmerz,
dann ist das Leben ein Scherz!

Drink, drink, brother drink,
leave your troubles at home!
Avoid grief and avoid the pain,
then life becomes a joke!

Frau McMickle had a mysterious life
outside La Jolla High’s school doors,
summers spent in Deutschland,
writing while on a walkabout.

Once she brought a canister of film,
closed the blinds, hit the lights,
the movie sputtered to life,
a crowd in black and white.

Pointing out her twelve-year-old self,
shaking hands with a parading Hitler,
we sat very still, finally at full attention.

© 2000 CM Bailey



[This message has been edited by Corinne (edited 04-28-2000).]

© Copyright 2000 Corinne - All Rights Reserved
Parker
Member Elite
since 2000-01-06
Posts 3129
ON
1 posted 2000-04-27 11:48 PM


Corinne, simply amazing.... except for stanza 3, I think my computer is on the blink cause the words are all scrambled or something, like its a different language,
computers eh!.
I think you spelled clean wrong on the first line.....  

Very cool poem......

Parker


[This message has been edited by Haleyja (edited 04-28-2000).]

netswan
Senior Member
since 2000-03-28
Posts 1369
Washington
2 posted 2000-04-27 11:52 PM


Correne, a master piece ---
such an ending -----whew!

netswan

Marge Tindal
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores
3 posted 2000-04-28 01:07 AM


Oh, Corinne~
An absolute masterpiece.
Your poetry is 'growing' ...
this piece is compelling.
Magnificent writing, poet friend.
~*Marge*~


 ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com


pen of passion
Member
since 1999-08-11
Posts 234

4 posted 2000-04-28 08:42 AM


You have my attention, especially since I am studying German and having all these language problems.  Startling ending.
Corinne
Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167
state of confusion
5 posted 2000-04-28 11:50 AM


Parker, thanks! Quite the sense of humor you have there, eh???

Netswan and Marge - thank you kindly.  I'm still not quite happy with it, perhaps a few more revisions...

Und Guten Tag, Pen of Passion! Danke!

Corinne

RAM
Member
since 2000-03-24
Posts 153

6 posted 2000-04-28 01:40 PM


Corinne,

This is wonderful - a blend of mystery and clarity.  

Rick

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