Our own gardens had rejected us Poem by Claudia Gabler

Our own gardens had rejected us,
even the flowers had now disappeared as our previous friends.
So we cast our lot with other cities,
their sound qualities were decisive.
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The new pools quickly quenched our shower water thirst,
but the green border doesn't protect against insects.
Not even against wilder animals.
The neighbors were true emotional terrorists.
- -
We ourselves complain about bear noises
and became our arch rivals by accident.
Our premature humming now lay draped over the new gardens like a provincial symphony.
Yet once again it was the water that offered rescue.
- -
Thermal springs and those who celebrated them, somehow a czar's zest for life
prevented the use of firearms. We were very suddenly jolly.
When we were even fenced in with luxurious furs and we clearly knew:
a Siberian dog is barking here.


Translated by Bradley Schmidt