Friday, March 11, 2011

German poems.

I'm doing an awesome course this semester called "Readings in German Literature and Culture" and one delightful poet (among many many others) we are discussing right now is Kurt Tucholsky. Here's a poem by him which I found interesting. Hope you like it! =)


The Other Man



You happen to meet him at a dinner.
You start conversing with him.
He knows the name of each Davis Cup winner.
He looks attractive. And slim.
He dances superbly. His face is clean.
And then your husband appears on the scene.

You measure one man against the other.
Your husband comes off second-best:
What a disgusting figure-oh brother!
So paunchy! So sloppily dressed!
And you say to yourself: Why, certainly
that one would be a man for me.

Now, lady, I may sound irritating
but what I tell you is true:
You'd give that other the same low rating
just after a year or two.
By then you know his technique of caressing;
you've seen him in every stage of undressing.
He then has his fill of your affection;
you've heard all the jokes in his collection;
you have observed him in joy and in fear,
from top to bottom, from front to rear....
believe me, the more one sees of us,
the less one finds us glamorous.
We may be charming at a party
and other times just like Joey or Marty.
Don't fall for those Sunday faces we carry-

and if the fellow you chose to marry
is someone with whom you can get by,
then-take my advice-hold on to the guy!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Nice Poem. It speaks the truth. I think it is a part of midlife crisis.

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