Park Poetry 2005

After writing the posting about the yellow books and how I hated Goethe's Faust I remembered the summer of 2005.
For a reason I forgot, some friends and me decided to learn the most famous piece of Faust I by heart. The chapter is called "Osterspaziergang" (easter walk). It tells about the first hike of the scientist Faust after spending several months in his dark office. The poem describes how Faust is overwhelmed by the colors, the sun and the happy people around.
So we learned the poem just for fun. We gave us 2 weeks as deadline. Surprisingly all four of us learned the poem. As far as I remember I used the time while brushing my teeth every day for learning some more lines.

We met in a public park in the city of Fuerth on a hot summer eve, had picnic and recited our poem.
The guys nearby really thought we were a group of actors and practising for a play. Really funny.
Later on, some of the folks we shared the meadow with asked us to join them. One of them played the guitar and we sang classic rock songs very loud (and very odd) until midnight.

The funny thing is that we created short movies with my old digital camera. I dug in my old image archive and used the opportunity to upload my very first movie to youtube. Stupidly youtube did something wrong with the aspect ratio and also the sound is not in snyc with the image.
But I want to share it with you, though:



If you don't like the out-of-sync thing: Here is the video for download as well. You need the XVid codec to watch it.

Oh, just for the sake of completeness: Here is the Osterspaziergang:

Vom Eise befreit sind Strom und Bäche
Durch des Frühlings holden, belebenden Blick,
Im Tale grünet Hoffnungsglück;
Der alte Winter, in seiner Schwäche,
Zog sich in rauhe Berge zurück.
Von dort her sendet er, fliehend, nur
Ohnmächtige Schauer körnigen Eises
In Streifen über die grünende Flur.
Aber die Sonne duldet kein Weißes,
Überall regt sich Bildung und Streben,
Alles will sie mit Farben beleben;
Doch an Blumen fehlts im Revier,
Sie nimmt geputzte Menschen dafür.
Kehre dich um, von diesen Höhen
Nach der Stadt zurück zu sehen!
Aus dem hohlen finstern Tor
Dringt ein buntes Gewimmel hervor.
Jeder sonnt sich heute so gern.
Sie feiern die Auferstehung des Herrn,
Denn sie sind selber auferstanden:
Aus niedriger Häuser dumpfen Gemächern,
Aus Handwerks- und Gewerbesbanden,
Aus dem Druck von Giebeln und Dächern,
Aus der Straßen quetschender Enge,
Aus der Kirchen ehrwürdiger Nacht
Sind sie alle ans Licht gebracht.
Sieh nur, sieh! wie behend sich die Menge
Durch die Gärten und Felder zerschlägt,
Wie der Fluß in Breit und Länge
So manchen lustigen Nachen bewegt,
Und, bis zum Sinken überladen,
Entfernt sich dieser letzte Kahn.
Selbst von des Berges fernen Pfaden
Blinken uns farbige Kleider an.
Ich höre schon des Dorfs Getümmel,
Hier ist des Volkes wahrer Himmel,
Zufrieden jauchzet groß und klein:
Hier bin ich Mensch, hier darf ichs sein!


I even found an english translation:

From the ice they are freed, the stream and brook,
By the Spring's enlivening, lovely look;
The valley's green with joys of hope;
The Winter old and weak ascends back to the rugged mountain slope.
From there, as he flees, he downward sends an impotent shower of icy hail
Streaking over the verdant vale.
Ah! but the Sun will suffer no white,
Growth and formation stir everywhere,
Twould fain with colours make all things bright,
Though in the landscape are no blossoms fair.
Instead it takes gay-decked humanity.
Now turn around and from this height,
Looking backward, townward see.
Forth from the cave-like, gloomy gate crowds a motley and swarming array.
Everyone suns himself gladly today.
The Risen Lord they celebrate,
For they themselves have now arisen From lowly houses' mustiness,
From handicraft's and factory's prison,
From the roof and gables that oppress,
From the bystreets' crushing narrowness, from the churches' venerable night,
They are all brought out into light.
See, only see, how quickly the masses scatter through gardens and fields remote;
How down and across the river passes so many a merry pleasure-boat.
And over-laden, almost sinking, the last full wherry moves away.
From yonder hill's far pathways blinking, flash to us colours of garments gay.
Hark! Sounds of village joy arise;
Here is the people's paradise,
Contented, great and small shout joyfully:
"Here I am Man, here dare it to be!"


Hmmm, I think I still can recite it.