And suddenly the sky is dark'ning,And what a formation! Almost a perfect 'W' of around 150 metres width. Estimating their number as once being taught by an ornithologist, this will have been between 450 and 500 harbingers of spring. Amazing. Wonderful!
And o'er the theater away,
One sees, within a blackish swarming,
A host of cranes pass on its way.
Unfortunately it was already too dark for taking photos. Thus my thoughts returned to Schiller.
Sieh da, sieh da, Timotheus,However - sorry Friedrich - that ballad is a bit long for a post. (If you like, you will find it here, though - and in English.)
die Kraniche des Ibikus.
So I chose a poem which does not contain of cranes, but has been written by a crane.
Enjoy.
I met a seer.
He held in his hands
The book of wisdom.
"Sir", I addressed him,
"Let me read."
"Child", he began.
"Sir", I said,
"Think not that I am a child,
For already I know much
of that which you hold.
Aye, much."
He smiled.
Then he opened the book
And held it before me.
Strange that I should have grown so suddenly blind.
Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900)
The peace of the night.
That sounds a wonderful sight :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes - love this piece Sean.
ReplyDeleteI saw cranes today too for the first time...and geese as well. Surely spring lies just around the corner...
I'm enjoying the springlike atmosphere of this post, the beautiful photo, and Crane's philosophical but light poem. I'm sure Tetrapilotomos would agree that it's unwise to seek wisdom...:)
ReplyDeleteNow I'll go and read Schiller. A bit long but I'm always glad to meet your German artists. I visit the blogworld to discover the best in each country. So far, you have never deceived me, Sean. Many thanks!:)
Sean - In a strange way, my email address was cancelled for the above post. I guess Google is playing around with the subscribers again. We shall not give up....
ReplyDeleteCherryPie,
ReplyDeletethe 'wonderful sight' you'd find in Scotland. :)
Janice,
yes! One might call me sentimental, I don't care: Watching the cranes and listening to their singing for me is one of the most wonderful yearly 'rituals'; the more as I am longing for spring. :)
Claudia,
knowing him for quite a few year - some in the past, some in this millennium -, I'd not dare to speak for Tetrapilotomos; after all, he might tell me that the wisdom lies in the seeking.
As for the 'springlike atmosphere' etc.: Glad you like it.
As for Schiller: If you asked Germans of my age for the 'greatest' German authors very probably the answer would be: Goethe, Schiller, Lessing.
Well, I'd say: Lessing, Schiller, Goethe ... and if it were to demonstrate that I do not like ranking lists. :)
As for your lovely compliment: The best German blogs I am sure, though, will be written in German.
Still, your kind words are balsam for my soul. Thank you so much.
As for your second comment: The comment mystery for me, myself, is a riddle wrapped up in enigmata. The more I do agree: Let's never give up. :)