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  • Ernst Jandl
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  • im delikatessenladen
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im delikatessenladen

Ernst Jandl

bitte geben sie mir eine maiwiesenkonserve etwas höher gelegen aber nicht zu
abschüssig so, daß man darauf noch sitzen kann.

nun, dann vielleicht eine schneehalde, tiefgekühlt ohne wintersportler. eine fichte
schön beschneit kann dabeisein.

auch nicht, bliebe noch – hasen sehe ich haben sie da hängen.
zwei drei werden genügen, und natürlich einen jäger.
wo hängen denn die jäger?


Ernst Jandl

from Boccacio in Florence and Other Poems (Exeter: Shearsman, 2009)

translated by W. D. Jackson

Reproduced by kind permission of the translator.

Tags:

Austrian poetry food hunting shopping Surrealism translation

Translations of this Poem

in the deli

could you give me some maymeadow conserve, please,
fairly high up but not so steep
that you can’t sit down on it.

well, then perhaps a snowy slope, deepfrozen,
containing no skiers, and a nice firtree
hung with snow, if you happen to have one.

then what about – hares, i see you’ve hung some hares.
two or three will do. and of course a hunter.
where do you hang your hunters?

About this poem

This poem, representing Austria, is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.

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Ernst Jandl

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