Poem by Gottfried Benn
by David Huerta
I had to go out but a poem by Gottfried Benn
stopped me in my tracks - you've no idea
quite how disturbing that poem was
A flower fell apart in the middle of an autopsy
and the doctor who'd cut open the corpse
saw how those petals landed among the inner organs
Even the medic's rubber gloves were covered
with petals and blood it was utterly breathtaking
but only a poem and I had to go out
I'm not sure if I left but the images
of that poem by Benn - frankly not
a very appealing figure - never left they stayed here
But how they stayed here those images the ghosts
of those lacerating images is something I must
come to terms with it won't be easy but I have to do it
The literal translation of this poem was made by Jamie McKendrick
The final translated version of the poem is by Jamie McKendrick
Listen to a reading of this poem in English and the original language on the player below or download it to keep (MP3).
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© Poetry Translation Centre 2004-2012
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