II. - V. - i.

tot,
laung tot,
laung tot!
und mei hearz is a hend vulla staub,
und d'radl roin üba mein kopf,
und meine boana beitlt da schmerz,
wei in a z'niadas gråb håms mi glegt,
gråd moi a Ölln unta da stråß
und de huaf vo de pfertl schlågn, schlågn,
d'huaf vo de pfertl schlågn,
schlågn durchan schädl, in d' stirn
und nia håts a end, mid de ewig traumpladn fiaß
a foarn, a hetzn, heiratn, leg'n unta d'erd!
gschew'rad und klapp'rad und klüngin und gschroa
und då herunt is es gråd so oarg:
De totn, dengatst, håbm ea ruah! - do es is ned so!
das ma im gråb koa ruah håt - is des ka schaund!?
do auf und å[b] und hi[n] und her
rundumadum greun de todn daher
und daun - hearst so a leich erst låcha
is da des gnua - zum narisch wern!


II. - V. - xi.

a'mei, wås håbms mi ned glei tiaf gnua vagråbm?
ward's ge freindli, dass mi nei in a grobes gråb
mi, der sein lebtåg laung nia guat gschlåffm!
vielleicht bin i jå eh gråd hoib-tot
daun ward i ament nu ned stumm
I schrei geh de schritt zua, üba meim kopf
und irgendwer, sicha, a guade söhl kimmt kumt,
und gråbt mi, vagråbt mi
tiafa, und ward's geh a wöngi tiafa!

---

II. - V. - i.

Dead, long dead,
Long dead!
And my heart is a handful of dust,
And the wheels go over my head,
And my bones are shaken with pain,
For into a shallow grave they are thrust,
Only a yard beneath the street,
And the hoofs of the horses beat, beat,
The hoofs of the horses beat,
Beat into my scalp and my brain,
With never an end to the stream of passing feet,
Driving, hurrying, marrying, burying,
Clamour and rumble, and ringing and clatter,
And here beneath it is all as bad,
For I thought the dead had peace, but it is not so;
To have no peace in the grave, is that not sad?
But up and down and to and fro,
Ever about me the dead men go;
And then to hear a dead man chatter
Is enough to drive one mad.


II. - V. - xi.

O me, why have they not buried me deep enough?
Is it kind to have made me a grave so rough,
Me, that was never a quiet sleeper?
Maybe still I am but half-dead;
Then I cannot be wholly dumb.
I will cry to the steps above my head
And somebody, surely, some kind heart will come
To bury me, bury me
Deeper, ever so little deeper.

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