kommentar/comment
By Ernst Jandl
that never
would he write
his autobiography
because his life
seemed to him
just so much filth
that only a few
points, bloody ones
he still remembers
but that he would
never hesitate
to reach into the filth
to pull out
what perhaps
could serve as stuff
for poetry
his disgusting
purpose in life
* * *
daß niemals
er schreiben werde
seine autobiographie
daß ihm sein leben
viel zu sehr
als dreck erscheine
daß auch nur wenige
punkte, blutige
er noch erinnere
daß aber niemals
er zögern werde
in den dreck zu fassen
um herauszuziehen
was vielleicht
einen stoff abgäbe
für poesie
seinen widerlichen
lebenszweck
Source: Poetry (October 1998)