Saturday, January 2, 2016

The Refugee--By Gert W. Knop--Germany

Der Flüchtling (German)

Meine Heimat,
mein Land verwüstet,
alleine in der Menschenflut
und mit der Gegenwart,
der ungewisse n Zukunft.
Meine Füße schon wund
vom langen Weg,
gepeinigt von Hunger und Durst,
so schleppe ich mich jeden Tag voran
weiß nicht, was werden soll.
Fremde Worte dringen nicht an mein Ohr,
die fremde Sprache,
ein Nichtverstehen.
Einsamkeit,
die mich umfängt,
ein neues Miteinander,
lässt mich hoffen

The Refugee (English)

My home,
my country devastated,
alone in the human tide
and with the present,
the uncertain future.
My feet already sore
from the long way,
tormented by hunger and thirst,
I drag myself forward every day,
not knowing what will be.
Strange words don't reach my ear,
the foreign language,
a lack of understanding.
Loneliness,
which embraces me,
a new togetherness
will give me hope

Gert W. Knop, born in 1943, studies art and tropical agriculture in Germany and Scotland (University of Edinburgh). He has lived in many different countries and writes mainly in German, English and Spanish. He currently resides in Zittau (Saxony), Germany. 

4 comments:

  1. Gert, You have written a heart-wrenching poem and all too true I think with what is happening with the refugees. I think you have it right about loneliness embracing you but a new togetherness too, and finally, hope. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jo for your friendly comment! Wishing you a great New Year!
      Gert

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  2. Hello Gert and Happy New Year! Thank you for sharing your talent. I love the poem and how you translate it in two languages. Continued blessings to you!

    -MJ (www.tgbtgpublictions.com)

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  3. Thank you for sharing this piece, you created a very telling portrait.

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