Herrineren - Revised 10 August [with introductary passage]
Posted: 26 Jul 2018, 18:54
herrineren
reminds - memories
Linguee Online Dutch - English Translation
We'd loaded the car with luggage,
children in the back, sandwiches
and drinks, taken the North Circular
through London to Colchester then Harwich
and the night boat to Hoek van Holland.
I'd worked all year for this break, the kids loved it
to be with their grandparents. Vader opened up
to me on the last day, spilling his memories.
I translated as best I could.
"They came always at night, denizons of darkness, four
hours to pass, like shoals of titanium barracuda seeking
a feeding frenzy. Sleep then the return, ferrymen
that shuffle death, a rhythmic droning vibrated
the earth, the buildings, our beds trembled,
it shook our legs. Phased-out zombies, Lone Ranger
eyes, irritable and snappy We dared not show we knew,
not to their faces. We struck an accord, they pretended
all was well, we didn't mention the Emperor's new clothes.
Oldenburg cast an aurora 60 miles that lasted until
dawn. From clandestine cat's whiskers: we knew
of the stench of rotting flesh, mangled bodies,
people stripped naked by the blast, buried alive.
Some lost their wits, walked around clawing air.
In one shelter, every occupant found sitting upright
as if waiting for a meal at table, without a mark,
a sear of flame or a cut, yet all dead, their candles
snuffed out, their brains shocked into death."
The British, ruthless in their revenge, never let up
even with losses. One thousand Chadwick's
Avra Lancasters spewed Armageddon on the wind.
We felt sympathy for the occupiers, for their families,
and their lost homes. But mostly we felt sorry
for ourselves, we wanted to live again, to enjoy
our children without that all-consuming fear
that clutched our guts when we met their death's
head insignia. We never want to see war again."
******
Normally a reticent man
Vader spoke unexpectedly,
without prompting, without
any introductory references
as if it had been on his mind
for some time and now
was the time to unload
his recollections.
When they came, they came at night,
times dictated by the lunar calendar.
It took four hours for them to pass,
then a lull, an hour of sleep before
the return, then another four hours.
Not so many on the return and often
we could tell by the sound they were
in trouble.
We knew it was for our good
that they came, sometimes every
night in a week. We were like zombies
with vacant eyes the following day.
The drone would shake the buildings
the vibrations rocked the bed,
it was hell and yet what about those
on the receiving end, how much more
of hell for them.
How long could it go on, the stench
of rotting flesh, the mangled bodies,
women and children stripped naked,
buried alive. Reports came in of whole
areas where people lost their wits,
walked around demented, clawing
at thin air. In one shelter, every occupant
found sitting upright as if waiting
for a meal at table, without a mark,
a sear of flame or cut, yet all dead.
Life sucked from their lungs,
their brains shocked into death.
I didn't interrupt Vader's recollections,
it was necessary for him to relieve
the pain, pass on his herrinering.
At first we hated them, then as the British
exacted their terrible toll, we felt some
sympathy, and now after it is all over
we can begin to reconcile
with de Duitse volk.
reminds - memories
Linguee Online Dutch - English Translation
We'd loaded the car with luggage,
children in the back, sandwiches
and drinks, taken the North Circular
through London to Colchester then Harwich
and the night boat to Hoek van Holland.
I'd worked all year for this break, the kids loved it
to be with their grandparents. Vader opened up
to me on the last day, spilling his memories.
I translated as best I could.
"They came always at night, denizons of darkness, four
hours to pass, like shoals of titanium barracuda seeking
a feeding frenzy. Sleep then the return, ferrymen
that shuffle death, a rhythmic droning vibrated
the earth, the buildings, our beds trembled,
it shook our legs. Phased-out zombies, Lone Ranger
eyes, irritable and snappy We dared not show we knew,
not to their faces. We struck an accord, they pretended
all was well, we didn't mention the Emperor's new clothes.
Oldenburg cast an aurora 60 miles that lasted until
dawn. From clandestine cat's whiskers: we knew
of the stench of rotting flesh, mangled bodies,
people stripped naked by the blast, buried alive.
Some lost their wits, walked around clawing air.
In one shelter, every occupant found sitting upright
as if waiting for a meal at table, without a mark,
a sear of flame or a cut, yet all dead, their candles
snuffed out, their brains shocked into death."
The British, ruthless in their revenge, never let up
even with losses. One thousand Chadwick's
Avra Lancasters spewed Armageddon on the wind.
We felt sympathy for the occupiers, for their families,
and their lost homes. But mostly we felt sorry
for ourselves, we wanted to live again, to enjoy
our children without that all-consuming fear
that clutched our guts when we met their death's
head insignia. We never want to see war again."
******
Normally a reticent man
Vader spoke unexpectedly,
without prompting, without
any introductory references
as if it had been on his mind
for some time and now
was the time to unload
his recollections.
When they came, they came at night,
times dictated by the lunar calendar.
It took four hours for them to pass,
then a lull, an hour of sleep before
the return, then another four hours.
Not so many on the return and often
we could tell by the sound they were
in trouble.
We knew it was for our good
that they came, sometimes every
night in a week. We were like zombies
with vacant eyes the following day.
The drone would shake the buildings
the vibrations rocked the bed,
it was hell and yet what about those
on the receiving end, how much more
of hell for them.
How long could it go on, the stench
of rotting flesh, the mangled bodies,
women and children stripped naked,
buried alive. Reports came in of whole
areas where people lost their wits,
walked around demented, clawing
at thin air. In one shelter, every occupant
found sitting upright as if waiting
for a meal at table, without a mark,
a sear of flame or cut, yet all dead.
Life sucked from their lungs,
their brains shocked into death.
I didn't interrupt Vader's recollections,
it was necessary for him to relieve
the pain, pass on his herrinering.
At first we hated them, then as the British
exacted their terrible toll, we felt some
sympathy, and now after it is all over
we can begin to reconcile
with de Duitse volk.