Austrian poet Peter Altenberg was one of the main proponents of Viennese Impressionism. “Altenberg” was a nom de plume; his proper name was Richard Engländer. Today, Day 575 of the daily poems, is the morning after Jude Bellingham rescued England with THAT GOAL – worthy of a ‘Love poem’ perhaps? As translated from the German by our translator poet Timothy Adès …
Love poem
by Peter Altenberg 1859-1919
translated from German by Timothy Adès
I saw you kindly strewing blackbird-fodder
I saw you gently care for your old father
I saw you marking, in a book, words of a saint
I saw you in low company, fit to faint
I saw you freely show your perfect naked tootsie
I saw you, proud and noble as a princess, curtsey
I saw you talk with your loved parrot as a friend
I saw you, when a man was tactless, make an end
I saw you getting high on raspberry-musk
I saw you listening to quiet summer dusk
I saw you at the day’s round growing, learning
I saw you stand forlorn at a gaslight’s dismal burning
I saw you spin your life like a spider’s wondrous weaving
I slipped away, not wanting to disturb you
But I shall love you, long as I am living.
Peter Altenberg
translated by Timothy Adès