EUROPE’S SHAME
by Günter Grass
Close to chaos, because the market is not just,
you’re far away from the country which was your cradle.
What was searched and found with one’s soul,
is now considered to be as worthless as scrap metal.
As a debtor put naked on the pillory, a country
about which you used to say you were grateful, suffers.
Poverty doomed country
whose maintained wealth adorns museums of the loot you kept.
Those [World War II German nazi occupation soldiers] who hit the country,
blessed with islands, with the force of arms wore both uniforms and
[books of German poet, inspired by ancient Greek poetry] Hφlderlin in their knapsacks.
Barely tolerated country whose colonels were once
tolerated by you as an alliance partner.
Country which lost its rights, whose belt is tightened
and tightened again by the cocksurely powerful.
Antigone defying you wearing black and all over the country,
the people whose guest you have been wear mourning clothes.
However, outside the country, the Croesus resembling followers
have hoarded all what glitters like gold in your vaults.
“Booze at last, drink ["sauf" actually, a term used to refer to animals drinking]!” [European] Commissioners’ cheerleaders shout.
However, Socrates gives you back the [hemlock poison] cup full to the brim.
Curse you as a chorus, which is characteristic of you,
will the gods, whose Mount Olympus you want to steal.
You’ll waste away mindlessly without the country,
whose mind invented you, Europe.
(from
http://99getsmart.com/?p=3612 )
On 05/06/2012 09:56, Peter Riley wrote:
[log in to unmask]" type="cite">Anyone know where there's a translation of Günter Grass's poem about Europe's treatment of Greece?
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/gnter-grass-attacks-merkel-for-athens-policy-7791489.html
thanks,
PR
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