Anarchistbanjo's World

Chrysanthemums

Kätie read my songs
And wants me to write
About chrysanthemums,
Chrysanthemums —
The flowers that Kätie loves.
So I sit down at my desk,
I put my head in my hands
And I search, search
For the soul of this flower—
And I think:
Yes, — — I know of two images
That can assist me on the trail —
The first: The fine touch of the Frenchman,
Pierre Loti. He sensed it and described it
In “Madame Chrysanthème”
In the foggy tones of “The Boys of Glasgow”,
He borrowed the image from Whister,
Taking it as his own vision. —
Yet this flower speaks differently to me,
No, I can not find its faint sound
Or its essence —
Let me search further —
And the other image?
In the house of my mother
Hangs in the hall
An engraved face
Of the Madonna
Engraved out of
Splendid white crystal
And framed with ebony.
The Sixtina — and on both sides
Are found two little shelves
That hold large gray vases.
In the vases mother
Always placed chrysanthemums,
Always chrysanthemums.
Why only chrysanthemums?
Yes, mallow should have been placed there
Red, white and violet mallow!
I search for the soul of this flower
Why can’t I find a trace anywhere?
I must ask Kätie!
“Kätie! Kätie!”
Kätie comes and rocks in the chair!
“Oh you big fool! — you brood, brood,
Meditate, think — and have nothing
To say about my favorite flower?
Then listen:
The coquette shepherd girl
Of Trianon at a feast
Wove colored chrysanthemums
On her shepherd’s staff —
At the ball Kätie laughed and danced
And on her white shoulders laughed
Colored chrysanthemums
Fluttering like leaves, like the colored
Shepherd’s garland playing in the wind.
Forgetting all her troubles and worries
And for a few short hours
Giving herself up to love’s sweet caresses,
Filling her poor senses!
You see — that — is all it is!”
And I knelt,
“Kätie, let me kiss you shoulders,
Kiss the flowers on your shoulders,
Your bright chrysanthemums — Katharina!”

-Hanns Heinz Ewers
translation by Joe Bandel