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Best Poems From
ERHARD HANS JOSEF LANG
(January 8,1957)
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49.
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The Fool (translation)
At the end of this my journeying on earth
I'll be taking down the mask, thus:
At the end of my journeying,
I'll hurl it now against the smilers of the herd.
Now has come the end of the laughter,
and of the fool's farce.
Since the end of the laughter will have come,
it were a moment of accusation.
But with such a herd of sheep
I shall not even take to flogging any.
For having a herd of sheep flogged
pity only were in place.
- You're walking about in a game of hide & seek
with the people you don't know.
Likewise you're at playing hide & seek with your own heart.
You are displaying shining name-plates
walking about with your feathers bristling,
each and every name-plate but has a stained backside.
You are using false weighing scales,
false being also the weights.
Making use of weighing scales thus false,
everything valuable becomes worthless.
He whose tummy always is filled
is praised as the wise.
If only the tummy was full
it was alright for the head to be empty.
Also, on each and every one of you
I spotted a set of a fool's tinkling bells.
And, each and every one of you
had them also clinking on going about.
by Finnish poet Uuno Kailas (1901-1933)
transl. by Erhard Lang
Erhard Hans Josef Lang
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50.
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The Heart and the Apes of the Dead Sea (Translation with Original)
Somewhere on the shores of some Dead Sea
- isn't the world full of Dead Seas -
there once lived in the course of time a tribe
that had lost their Heart somewhere.
And lo, these people were thriving very well
and became mighty fat.
Their wheat came to ripen and their grapes grew thick.
They were engaged in smart tradings
and led heinous wars
and the camels were bringing them home as booty
gold and precious stones
from beyond the mountains.
They were happy.
And the fattest of all their priests was speaking:
- Praise be to Allah!
Now only it is that his grace has been showered upon us more bountiful
than ever before!
Take note, all you faithful people,
that this overly generous gesture of Allah's
only stems from the fact
that the Heart, this obtrusive slayer of peace,
the Heart that is always discontented, always rebelling,
has been banished from within our midst.
Didn't it prey on our nights' sleep
and didn't it set up traps in the day on all our roads.
Didn't it always grab things against our tender laws.
Didn't it always,
resilient as the Heart is,
turn around our hallowed authorities and the noble judges,
so they'd only be good executioners of the undertaking.
When we were going to war,
when we were making peace,
didn't it always accuse us of having done the wrong thing.
Thrusting us all the time but into disgrace.
It is gone now.
Allah, he who sleeps within the Dead Sea,
did not look at the Heart with benevolent eyes:
also he had been constantly disturbed by it in his sleep.
Rejoice, all you faithful people,
Allah has driven it out into the middle of the barren lands,
there for it to waste away with hunger and thirst,
for us always to stay happy.
Praise be to Allah!
Allah, he who sleeps within the Dead Sea,
woke up one night:
he had heard someone call his name.
And lo, in the Dead Sea a live flame was alighted,
approaching like a swerving starlet,
and went down at the root of God's feet.
It was the Heart that had become enkindled.
It spoke:
- My father, I found with people no home where to stay.
And Allah was looking at it.
And he was listening to it.
And he cried.
And Allah raised his head from within the Dead Sea.
Then he heard what the fattest of all the priests was saying.
And Allah became very furious.
And Allah raised his hands.
And lo, the people were like apes in the morning.
But the Heart stayed with Allah.
And the tender God took it into his hand,
led it to his lips
and kissed it.
(written by Finnish poet Uuno Kailas (1901-1933) of the Firebearer Era,
translated by Erhard Hans Josef Lang)
In German:
Das Herzen und die Affen des Toten Meeres
Irgendwo an den Gestaden eines Toten Meeres
- ist doch die Welt voll mit Toten Meeren -
lebte irgendwann im Laufe der Zeit ein Stamm,
welcher sein Herzen irgendwo eingebüßt hatte.
Und siehe, diese Menschen gediehen sehr wohl
und wurden recht fett.
Ihr Weizen reifte und ihre Trauben schwollen dick auf.
Sie trieben einen gewieften Handel und führten schreckliche Kriege
und die Kamele trugen als Raubbeute nach hause
Gold und edle Steine von hinter den Bergen her.
Sie waren glücklich.
Und der fetteste von allen Priestern sprach:
- Gelobet sei Allah!
Jetzt erst hat sich dessen Gunst reichlicher denn je davor über uns
ergossen.
Wisset, all ihr Gläubigen,
daß diese großzügige Geste von Allah daher rührt,
daß jener zudringliche Störenfried des Friedens, das Herzen,
das allzeit unzufriedene, allzeit aufbegehrende Herzen,
endlich aus unserer Mitte verbannt ist.
Raubte es nicht uns den Schlaf der Nächte
und stellte es nicht am Tage auf all unsern Wegen Fallen auf.
Schnappte es nicht immer entgegen unsern lieblichen Gesetzen zu.
Verdrehte es nicht immer,
das Herz, dieser Aufmucker,
die hehre Vorherrschaft und die noblen Richter,
auf daß diese nur ja Hinrichtungsvollstrecker wären.
Wenn wir uns in den Krieg aufmachten,
oder wir dabei waren, Frieden zu stiften,
klagte es nicht immer an, daß wir falsch handelten.
Uns allzeit in Schmach und Schande stürzend.
Es ist nun fort.
Allah, er, der im Toten Meer schläft,
betrachtete das Herzen mit keinen wohlgefälligen Augen:
hatte doch dieses immerzu auch seinen Schlaf gestört.
Freuet Euch, all ihre Gläubigen,
Allah hat es hinausgejagt, mitten ins Wüstland hinein,
auf daß es durch Hunger und Durst eingehe,
auf daß wir allzeit glücklich wären!
Gelobet sei Allah!
Allah, er, der im Toten Meer schläft, wachte eines Nachts auf:
er hatte jemanden seinen Namen rufen gehört.
Und siehe, auf dem Toten Meer brannte eine lebende Flamme.
Sie näherte sich wie ein gleitender Stern
und ging an der Wurzel von Gottes Füssen nieder.
Es war das entflammte Herzen. Es sprach:
- Mein Vater, ich fand bei den Menschen keine Heimstätt'.
Und Allah betrachtete es
und hörte ihm zu
und weinte.
Und Allah erhob seinen Kopf aus dem Toten Meer.
Da hörte er das,
was der fetteste von allen Priestern sprach.
Und Allah erzürnte sehr.
Und Allah erhob seine Hände.
Und siehe, die Menschen waren am Morgen wie die Affen.
Das Herzen aber blieb bei Allah.
Und der zärtliche Gott nahm es an seine Hand,
führte es an seine Lippen
und küsste es.
In the original Finnish:
SYDÄN JA KUOLLEEN MEREN APINAT.
Kuolleen meren rannalla jossakin
- maailmahan on kuolleita meriä täynnä -
asui jolloinkin ajan varrella suku,
joka oli unohtanut sydämensä jonnekin.
Ja katso, nämä ihmiset menestyivät hyvin
ja lihoivat hyvin.
Heidän vehnänsä kypsyi ja rypäleensä paisuivat.
He tekivät viekkaasti kauppaa
ja kävivät julmasti sotaa.
Ja kameelit kantoivat ryöstösaaliina kotiin
kultaa ja kalliita kiviä
vuorten takaa.
He olivat onnelliset.
Ja lihavin kaikista papeista puhui:
- Kiitetty olkoon Allah!
Nyt hänen siunauksensa on vuotanut ylitsemme
runsaampana kuin koskaan.
Tietkää, oi uskovaiset kaikki,
että tämä Allahin ylenpalttinen suosio johtuu siitä,
että tuo kärkäs rauhanrikkoja, Sydän,
alati tyytymätön, alati kapinoiva Sydän
on vihdoinkin keskuudestamme poissa.
Eikö hän riistänyt meiltä öittemme unta
ja päivällä virittänyt ansoja kaikille teillemme.
Eikö hän napissut aina lempeitä lakejamme vastaan.
Eikö hän solvannut aina, tuo niskuri Sydän,
pyhää esivaltaa ja jaloja tuomareita,
että he muka olisivat pyöveleitä.
Jos me ryhdyimme sotaan
tahi jos solmimme rauhan,
eikö hän syyttänyt, että me teimme väärin.
Eikö hän saattanut meidät alati häpeään.
Nyt hän on poissa.
Allah, hän joka Kuolleessa meressä nukkuu,
hän ei katsellut Sydäntä suopein silmin:
tämähän häiritsi alati hänenkin untaan.
Iloitkaatte, oi uskovaiset kaikki:
Allah on vienyt hänet keskelle erämaata,
että hän menehtyisi nälkään ja janoon,
että me olisimme alati onnelliset!
Kiitetty olkoon Allah!
Allah, hän joka Kuolleessa meressä nukkuu,
heräsi eräänä yönä:
hän oli kuullut jonkun huutavan nimeään.
Ja katso, Kuolleessa meressä paloi elävä liekki.
Se lähestyi niinkuin lentävä tähti
ja lankesi jumalan jalkojen juureen.
Se oli palava Sydän. Se puhui:
- Isäni, en ole löytänyt kotia ihmisten luota!
Ja Allah katseli häntä
ja kuunteli häntä
ja itki.
Ja Allah kohotti päätänsä Kuolleesta merestä.
Silloin kuuli hän sen,
mitä lihavin kaikista papeista puhui.
Ja Allah vihastui kovin.
Ja Allah kohotti kätensä:
ja katso, ihmiset olivat aamulla niinkuin apinat.
Mutta Sydän jäi Allahin luokse.
Ja lempeä jumala otti hänet käteensä,
nosti hänet huulilleen
ja suuteli häntä.
UUNO KAILAS
Erhard Hans Josef Lang
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51.
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The Idea Of Rituals (One Example Of An Ancient Traditional Vedic Ritual)
Satyakama the son of Jabala explained this
Doctrine of the prana (breath of life) to
Gosruti, the son of Vyaghrapada and said:
If one should tell this to a dry stump,
Branches would grow and leaves spring forth.
Now, if a man wishes to attain greatness,
He should perform the initiatory rite
On the day of the new moon and
Then on the night of the full moon
He should stir a paste of all the herbs
With curds and honey and offer it
As a libation in the fire
Where the melted butter is offered, saying:
Svaha to the oldest (jyashtha) and greatest (sreshtha) !
Then let him throw the remainder
Adhering to the ladle into the paste.
In the same manner he should offer a libation in the fire
Where the melted butter is offered, saying:
Svaha to the most excellent (vasishtha) !
Then let him throw the remainder adhering to the ladle into the paste.
In the same manner he should offer a libation in the fire
Where the melted butter is offered, saying:
Svaha to firmness (pratishthi) ! and
Then throw the remainder adhering to the ladle into the paste.
In the same manner he should offer a libation in the fire
Where the melted butter isoffered, saying:
Svaha to prosperity (sampad) ! and
Then throw the remainder adhering to the ladle into the paste.
In the same manner he should offer a libation into the fire
Where the melted butter is offered, saying:
Svaha to the abode (ayatana) ! and
Then throw the remainder adhering to the ladle into the paste.
Then, moving away a little from the fire
And holding the paste (mantha) in his hands,
He recites: Thou (prana) art ama by name,
For all this rests in thee.
He (i.e. the paste, which is the same as the prana) is the oldest,
The greatest, the king and the sovereign.
May he make me the oldest, the greatest, the king and the sovereign.
May I be all this!
Then he recites the following Rik-mantra,
Swallowing the paste (mantha) each time he utters a foot of the mantra:
We desire, of the great progenitor (i.e. the sun) -
Here he swallows a little-of the luminous, the food -
Here he swallows a little- the best and all-supporting -
Here he swallows a little -
We meditate quickly on the nature of the sun -
Here he swallows the whole.
Having cleansed the vessel made of metal or wood,
He lies down behind the fire,
On a skin or on the bare ground,
Controlling his speech and self-possessed.
If he sees a woman in a dream,
Then let him know that
His work (rite) has been a success.
If during rites performed with
A view to fulfilling certain desires,
He sees a woman in his dream,
Let him know of his success
From this vision in a dream, yea,
From this vision in a dream.
Erhard Hans Josef Lang
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52.
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The Legend Of The Clocks (translation)
Oh those clocks, those!
It is as if the ore were alive
and ringing like the crying of a man!
Thus said a teenager who was drinking beer.
And the alert keeper of the pub
knew something to say about it: -
In them there is flesh and blood.
A certain madman founded them once,
a man who arrived from over the mountains,
a sad fellow, who only drank pure water,
who only nibbled dry bread.
Since he repented for sins, took to suffering.
'Conscience, ' he exclaimed, 'brought me here;
I came to found clocks;
the handicraft trust had been looking for a foundery blacksmith.'
He got the work,
arranged for a shop, for the moulds.
Until late at night he wrestled in his shop.
And clocks he did found.
He founded many clocks - bad ones, all not ticking.
What could have been lacking, only heaven knew.
He melted the clocks - again to be founding mute ones.
Deep pain came to burn in his eyes.
His mouth was heard babbling strange things:
'No sound of clocks will be carrying up to heaven,
to where the Father is,
unless you give the weightiest of sacrifice; '
thus spoke the Master in the night, verily.'
The man melted his pieces of metal ore;
there, in front of the shop,
his lovely-haired daughter was playing,
a golden child, her father's only treasure on earth.
And when his dear one's laughter rang out,
it gave the man a jolt, as if hit by lightning,
that went into his soul
and paralyzed it by the loading of sin.
In pain he shouted:
'I can't do this! I can't do this! '
The silent clocks to the melting oven he took,
made new ones founded.
A fire, like mad burnt in his eyes.
The clanking of the bronze didn't come alive,
no, it just didn't.
Facing the Holy Virgin the man was,
praying fervently,
staying up all night, until morning.
Had left speaking loudly in delirium:
'Oh mother, with the clock clinking,
I shall not go down to a hell of trouble,
but, enveloped by heaven,
with its sin washed away,
my soul may ring.'
The man melted his pieces of ore;
at the door of the shop sat the lovely-haired daughter,
a golden child, her father's only treasure on earth.
Like snakes of fire the oven glowed.
The father turned his eyes to the child,
hurt, love exhausted his mind.
Like in a dream the hapless man was walking.
Pulled onto his lap his daughter and kissed her,
covered her eyes -
threw her into the molten bronze.
That one devoured the dear one,
hizzing.
Heaven only knows, how in that way,
that day the ore began to be alive.
You may hear how it is ticking.
By nightfall that man was a crazy man.
by Finnish poet Uuno Kailas (1901-1933) ,
transl. by Erhard Lang
note: in the year 1978, in the holy city of Rishikesh, India,
I vowed by myself never again to wear
a time-piece on my body; a vow I kept until now.
Erhard Hans Josef Lang
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