Yawcob Strauss and Other Poems/Der Vater-Mill
DER VATER-MILL.
- I Reads aboudt dot vater-mill dot runs der lifelong day,
- Und how der vater don'd coom pack vhen vonce id flows avay;
- Und off der mill-shit-earn dot glides on so beace- fully und shtill,
- Budt don'd vas putting in more vork on dot same vater-mill.
- Der boet says 'tvas beddher dot you holdt dis broverb fast—
- "Der mill id don'd vould grind some more mit vater dot vas past."
- Dot boem id vas peautiful to read aboudt; dot's
- so! Budt eef dot vater wasn't past how could dot mill-
- vheel go? Und vhy make drouble mit dot mill vhen id vas
- been inclined To dake each obbordunidy dot's gifen id to grind?
- Und vhen der vater cooins along in qvandidies so vast,
- Id lets some oder mill dake oup der vater dot vas past.
- Dhen der boet shange der subject, und he dells us vonce again,
- "Der sickle neffer more shall reap der yellow, garnered grain."
- Vell, vonce vas blendy, aind't id ? Id vouldn't been so nice
- To haf dot sickle reaping oup der same grain ofer tvice!
- Vhy, vot's der use off cutting oup der grass alreaty mown?
- Id vas pest, mine moder dold me, to let vell enough alone.
- "Der summer vinds refife no more leaves strewn o'er earth und main."
- Veil, who vants to refife dhem ? Dhere vas blendy more again!
- Der summer vinds dhey shtep righdt oup in goot time to brepare
- Dhose blants und trees for oder leaves; dhere soon vas creen vons dhere.
- Shust bear dis adverb on your mindts, mine frendts, und holdt id fast:
- Der new leaves don'd vas been aroundt undil der oldt vas past.
- Dhen neffer mindt der leaves dot's dead; der grain dot's in der bin;
- Dhey both off dhem haf had dheir day, und shust vas gathered in.
- Und neffer mindt der vater vhen id vonce goes droo der mill;
- Ids vork vas done! Dhere's blendy more dot vaits ids blace to fill.
- Let each von dake dis moral, vrora der king down to der peasant—
- Don'd mindt der vater dot vas past, budt der vater dot vas bresent.