PA German Dialect

Es Neinuhr Schtick

2-03-00

Ihr liewe Leit:
   Wer vun eich liewe Leser denkt graad was der Ralph Funk (1899-1969) mol gschriwwe hot:
Es macht nix aus wie ich browier,
'S iss nimmi gaar die seem Blessier
Im Winderschnee;
Es grisselt mir, du weescht wie's iss,
Mit meiner Elt un Rumadiss
   Un schteife Bee.

Dann weil die Aussicht iss so schee,
Un Kinner sin so froh fer Schnee,
   'S iss mir verleet;
Schneescheppe kummt mir aardlich hatt,
Fer Paad un Wege do un datt-
   Bin froh wann's geht.

   Awwer dief drunne wisse mer ass der Schnee net weckgeht bis er geh will. Villeicht kenne mer - wider wie der Funk mol gschriwwe hot - uns die scheene Schneeflocke mol aasehne;

Hoscht du Schneeflocke schunn bedracht,
   Wie sie gemuschdert sin?
Schee zackich, eckich alle Weg
   Un gaar nix rundes drin.

Mer kann yuscht net auslege all
Die Pracht so wunnerbaar;
Ich geb nix drum wie mer browiert-
   Die Wadde sin zu raar.

Sie falle aussem Himmel graad,
   Wie Fedder - o so leis;
Un decke unsri schloofend Aerd
   Wie'n Debbich, rein un weiss.
      Awwer die Flocke sin net yuscht fer Schee!
Sie sin net fer Unneedichkeit,
   Sie hen ihr Aerwet aa:
Fer Winder Frucht sin sie en Deck,
   Dass Froscht kann net gut draa.

Sie fille Schprings mit Wasser siess,
   So needich in der Welt;
Sie wessere Watzel vun de Beem,
   Sowohl es Graas im Feld.

Sie mache aa schee Gschpass fer uns
   Im Schliddefaahre Geh
Mit halliche Belle, gudi Baa-
   Zu schleife iwwer der Schnee.

      Der Funk will uns mit denne Linye sicher ebbes lehre:
'S iss viel mer lannt seilewes net-
   Un waere mer noch so gscheit-
Wie alles schafft in der Nadur
   Hot Ursach un sei Zeit!

Macht's gut,
Der Alt Professer

Dear people:
   Who of you dear readers thinks exactly what Ralph Funk (1899-1969) one wrote:
It makes no difference how I try,
It's no longer the same pleasure
   In winter's snow;
It makes me shudder, you know how it is,
With my age and rheumatism
   And stiff legs.

For because the view is so pretty,
And children look forward to snow,
   I'm discontented;
Shoveling snow comes hard to me,
For paths and roads here and there-
   I'll be happy when it goes.

But deep down we know that the snow won't go away until it wants to go. Perhaps we can - again as Funk once wrote - take a look at the beautiful snowflakes:

Have you observed snowflakes yet,
   How they are shaped?
Nice and notched, cornered every which way
   And nothing round in them.

One just can't explain all
Their splendor so wonderful;
I don't care how one tries-
   The words are too rare.

They just fall out of the sky,
   Like feathers - oh, so quietly;
And cover our slumbering world
   Like a quilt, pure and white.
      But the snow isn't just for nice!
They are not just for unnecessary things,
   They, too, have their work:
For winter grain they are a cover,
   So that frost can't get at it well.

They fill springs with water sweet,
   So necessary in the world;
They water roots of the trees,
   As well as grass in the fields.

They also make a lot of fun for us
   When going sleighing,
With glorious bells, good snow-paths-
   To slide over the snow.

   Funk wants with these lines certainly to teach us something:
There is much that we don't learn our whole life
   Even if we were so smart:
How everything works in nature
   Has reason and its time!

Take care,
The Old Professor

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updated 3-15-2007 paf