Poetry Thursday - Optimistic Little Poem by Hans Magnus Enzensberger

... silver in the beggar's hat ...   (via)

Optimistic Little Poem

Now and then it happens
that somebody shouts for help
and somebody else jumps in at once
and absolutely gratis.

Here in the thick of the grossest capitalism
round the corner comes the shining fire brigade
and extinguishes, or suddenly
there's silver in the beggar's hat.

Mornings the streets are full
of people hurrying here and there without
daggers in their hands, quite equably
after milk or radishes.

As though in a time of deepest peace.

A splendid sight.

 by Hans Magnus Enzensberger; translated by David Constantine (via)

Enzensberger (b.1929) is a German author, poet, translator who lives in Munich. He is part of the last generation of intellectuals whose writing was shaped by first-hand experience of the Third Reich, says Wikipedia - an interesting thought in relation to the poem here.

Optimistisches Liedchen

Hier und da kommt es vor,
daß einer um Hilfe schreit.
Schon springt ein andrer ins Wasser,
vollkommen kostenlos.

Mitten im dicksten Kapitalismus
kommt die schimmernde Feuerwehr
um die Ecke und löscht, oder im Hut
des Bettlers silbert es plötzlich.

Vormittags wimmelt es auf den Straßen
von Personen, die ohne gezücktes Messer
hin- und herlaufen, seelenruhig,
auf der Suche nach Milch und Radieschen.

Wie im tiefsten Frieden.

Ein herrlicher Anblick.