Gaudeamus! Humorous Poems Part 4

MORAL.

In love or in turning a penny Always study the field of your luck; In petroleum and naphtha full many Ere now have been terribly 'stuck.'

THE PILE BUILDER.

A Lacustrine Lyric.

Dichtqualmende Nebel umfeuchten Ein Pfahlbaugerustwerk im See Und fern ob der Waldwildniss leuchten Die Alpen in ewigem Schnee.

Damp smoky-like vapour is streaming O'er piles in the waters below.

And far o'er the forest are gleaming The Alps in perpetual snow.

A man on a wood block is sitting In furs, for the wind-draught is strong: With a flint chip a deer-horn splitting, While he mournfully murmurs a song:

'See my face swollen up like the devil!

Remark how in wind, as it spins, The history of Europe primaeval With rheumatics and toothache begins!

'It is true that with stone-axe employment, Or with celts I can hammer my way, But no rational means of enjoyment Is known to the world in this day.

'Wild animals, wolfish or beary, Howl fierce round my forest-tree brown; And when I build huts on the prairie The buffaloes batter them down.

'And so, to the beaver a debtor, I build for myself in the flood; The further from firm land the better, A pile-dam in s.h.i.+ngle and mud.

'But much I am forced to dispense with What ages to come will behold; I'd be glad of a good sword to fence with, But as yet there's no iron or gold.

'In stocks I would gladly grow wealthy, But exchange is not yet understood: A good gla.s.s of beer would be healthy; But never a drop has been brewed.

'And then how my horror increases To think of our cookery rude!

How we crack a pig's bones into pieces, And suck out the marrow for food.

'And how can the soul be expected To form an ideal of taste, When nothing but poles are erected Around in a watery waste?'

He sang With a voice hoa.r.s.e and failing, With rheumatics his temper was grim; Two wild bears slipped over the poling, And, climbing, came snapping at him.

Down he threw, as with anger he flushes, Axe, deer-horn, and drink-cup of clay, Sprang, splas.h.!.+ like a frog to the rushes, And paddled with curses away.

Where once the Lacustrians plying, Drove many a pillar or stake, A strata of relics is lying 'Neath the mud and the turf of the lake.

And he who this song made for singing, Himself through those layers has mined, And the relics to daylight upbringing, Felt pride as a mortal refined.

HESIOD.

Licht gluhte des Helicon Klippe In Mittagspurpur und Blau.

Light gleamed upon Helicon's mountain In the purple of mid-day and blue, As by Aganippe's clear fountain A shepherd boy slept in the dew.

In seeking the lambs of his master, From Askra, he'd roamed through the wood, But now all the strength of the pastor By the heat of the sun was subdued.

Then from sun-lighted fields of old story, Came Nine who were heavenly fair; Their limbs were of beauty a glory, And a glory of gold was their hair.

They moved as in musical numbers, To the grove, Aganippe across, And laid by the youth in his slumbers, Their gifts in the emerald moss.

The first a bronze style like a feather, The second an inkstand of bra.s.s, The third a neat alb.u.m in leather, The fourth a Bohemian gla.s.s, The fifth gave red wax and a taper, The sixth a gold eye-gla.s.s and sheath, The seventh cigars wrapped in paper, The eighth a sweet asphodel wreath.

The ninth bent her knee in the heather, And kissed him full tender and true, Then vanished on high in the aether As angels invariably do.

Up sprung the young dreamer and panted And sang in a measure sublime, And swung, like a creature enchanted, A twig of wild laurel in time.

Then up came his friends 'mong the peasants And praised his good fortune that day, And led him with all his fine presents To Askra in festive array: And there all the wisest or rudest, Considered the matter in doubt, Until the Nomarchos as shrewdest To Bootia this sentence gave out.

'To him heaven opens a portal, No more at the flocks let him look.

He is destined to be an immortal, Write poems--and publish a book.'

They found him a rod neat and slender, In long garments they gave him to G.o.d; Then he wrote them the Farmer's Calender, And Theogony too--Hesiod.

MODERN GREEK.

BY ATHANASIOS CHRISTOPOULOS.

[Greek: Plouton den thelo Doxan den thelo Out' exousian Pote kammian.]

[Greek: Den thelo gnosin Oute kan tosen hOs' ein tou phullou Ki hos' ein tou xulou.]

[Greek: Toutes he krues e phantasies hOso euphainoun Toso pikrainoun.]

TRANSLATION.

Reichthum und Ehre Nimmer ich 'gehre; Herrschaft und Wurde; War mir nur Burde.

I never desire Wealth or fame to acquire Honour and station Were but vexation.

And to be learned I'm no more concerned, Than in the thicket Are field-mouse and cricket.

All those cold cheating Phantom forms fleeting, 'Stead of reviving, Are vexing and driving.

MODERN GREEK.