Hei héiert der déi geschwate Versioun.

 

 

Mir maache vill Gedeessems

ëm e Schëff, wann 't ënnergeet,

um Mieresgrond seng Rees end

oder e Fiels am Wee em steet.

Well et schlecht gemaach a bëlleg

munch Séil gen Himmel iert,

Mä mir héieren net sou sëlleg

vun dem Schëff dat viru fiert.

 

E Luef dem gudde Schëffbauer –

dem alen Handwierksmann;

E Luef dem gudde Schëffbauer

dee richteg baue kann.

E Luef dann och dem Käpten,

der Crew en Extraluef,

Eng Schlagzeil fir an d'Zeitung:

Dëst Schëff koum heel an d'Duerf.

 

Wat d'Medie glécklech billen

iwwer d'Ongléck vun de Stars,

déi hir Chancen all verspillen

a Prisong, Morgue a Bars,

Déi am Soff sech d'Liewen huelen –

"D'Gléck wollt him net méi laachen" –

Mä 't héiert ee vill ze seelen

Wa Leit trotzdeem weider maachen.

 

Eis Welt ass voller Leed an

mat Onrecht vollgepaakt,

mä dem Mënsch säin Häerz ass edel

an dem Mënsch säin Häerz ass staark!

D'Mier kann zum Doud eis féieren

mä ech soen iech dat heit:

héich Welle jubiléieren

mat dem Mensch deen op e reit.

 

 

Dat heiten ass mäin éischte Choix vum Lawson sengem zweete Gedichtband Verses, Popular and Humorous vun 1900. D'Sensatiounsgier an d'Hiobsbotschaften an de Medie ware schonn deemools eng Plo, et schéngt sech an iwwer honnert Joer net vill geännert ze hunn.

 

Wat soll ech soss nach soen, d'Ausso vun dem Gedicht ass einfach wonnerbar: Looss dech net ënnerkréien.

 

 

 

 

We hear a great commotion

'bout the ship that comes to grief,

that founders in mid-ocean,

or is driven on a reef.

Because it's cheap and brittle

a score of sinners drown,

But we hear but mighty little

of the ships that won't go down.

 

Here's honour to the builders –

the builders of the past,

Here's honour to the builders

that builded ships to last.

Here's honour to the captain,

and honour to the crew,

Here's double-column headlines

to the ships that battle through.

 

They make a great sensation

about famous men that fail,

that sink a world of chances

in the city morgue or gaol,

Who drink, or blow their brains out,

because of "Fortune's frown".

but we hear far too little

of the men who won't go down.

 

The world is full of trouble

and the world is full of wrong,

but the heart of man is noble

and the heart of man is strong!

They say the sea sings dirges,

but I would say to you

that the wild wave's song's a paean

for the men that battle through.

 

 

This is the first poem that I chose from Lawson's second poetry collection Verses, Popular and Humorous from 1900. The sensationalism and doom-mongery of the news media seems to have been a plague even back then. Nothing new under the sun in over a hundred years.

 

What else can I say, I love the spirit of the poem. Don't let them bring you down.