Nocturne 111 Poems by Georg Trakl

Georg Trakl is recognized as one of the leading figures of the Austro-German expressionist movement during the early twentieth century. Marked by nightmarish visions of disintegration, death, and murder, as well as of natural decay, his poetry has influenced poets, painters, musicians, and playwrights for more than a century. Translated and edited by Daniele Pantano, Nocturne: 111 Poems offers a vivid introduction to one of the most important voices in twentieth-century world poetry. Trakl’ s poems bear haunting witness to a world devoid of faith, meaning, and hope. Truth is what Trakl attempts to detect through his striking lyric visions, in which the speaker’ s unconscious horror mirrors the horrors of reality, as we cope with our human condition. Nevertheless, Trakl captures glimpses of beauty in this wasteland, often equated with erotic or familial relationships, and seen only in contrast with death, corruption, and decay. Darkly introspective, Trakl’ s poems bear a disquieting new resonance in the present day.

Translator: Daniele Pantano is a Swiss poet, essayist, literary translator, and artist. He has published over thirty volumes of poetry, essays, translations, and conceptual literature, and his work has been translated into a dozen languages. Pantano is Associate Professor (Reader) and Director of the MA Creative Writing and MFA Creative Writing & Publishing programs at the University of Lincoln. Author: Georg Trakl (1887– 1914) is commonly seen as the most prominent figure of Austro-German literary Expressionism.

Die Raben / The Ravens Die junge Magd / The Young Maid Romanze zur Nacht / A Romance to Night Im roten Laubwerk voll Guitarren . . . / In Red Leaves Full of Guitars . . . Musik im Mirabell / Music in Mirabell Melancholie des Abends / Evening Melancholy Winterdä mmerung / Winter Twilight Rondel / Rondel Frauensegen / The Blessing of Women Die schö ne Stadt / The Beautiful City In einem verlassenen Zimmer / In an Abandoned Room An den Knaben Elis / To the Boy Elis Der Gewitterabend / Tempest Eve Abendmuse / Evening Muse Traum des Bö sen / Dream of Evil Geistliches Lied / Spiritual Song Im Herbst / In Autumn Zu Abend mein Herz / My Heart at Evening Die Bauern / The Peasants Allerseelen / All Souls’ Day Melancholie / Melancholy Seele des Lebens / Soul of Life Verklä rter Herbst / Transfigured Autumn Winkel am Wald / Corner by the Forest Im Winter / In Winter In ein altes Stammbuch / Into an Old Family Register Verwandlung / Metamorphosis Kleines Konzert / Small Concert Menschheit / Mankind Der Spaziergang / The Stroll De profundis / De Profundis Trompeten / Trumpets Dä mmerung / Twilight Heiterer Frü hling / Bright Spring Vorstadt im Fö hn / Suburb in Fö hn Die Ratten / The Rats Trü bsinn / Depression In den Nachmittag geflü stert / Whispered into the Afternoon Psalm / Psalm Rosenkranzlieder: An die Schwester / Hymns for a Rosary: To the Sister Rosenkranzlieder: Nä he des Todes / Hymns for a Rosary: Nearness of Death Rosenkranzlieder: Amen / Hymns for a Rosary: Amen Verfall / Decay In der Heimat / In the Homeland Ein Herbstabend / An Autumn Evening Menschliches Elend / Human Misery Im Dorf / In the Village Abendlied / Evening Song Drei Blicke in einen Opal / Three Glimpses into an Opal Nachtlied / Nocturne Helian / Helian Kindheit / Childhood Stundenlied / Song of Hours Unterwegs / On the Way Landschaft / Landscape Einsamkeit / Loneliness Elis / Elis Hohenburg / Hohenburg Sebastian im Traum / Sebastian in a Dream Am Moor / By the Moor Im Frü hling / In Spring Abend in Lans / Evening in Lans Am Mö nchsberg / By the Mö nchsberg Kaspar Hauser Lied / Kaspar Hauser Song Nachts / At Night Im Park / In the Park Ein Winterabend / A Winter Evening Die Verfluchten / The Damned Sonja /Sonja Entlang / Along Afra / Afra Der Herbst des Einsamen / Autumn of the Lonely One Ruh und Schweigen / Rest and Silence Anif / Anif Untergang / Ruin An einen Frü hverstorbenen / To One Who Died Young Geistliche Dä mmerung / Spiritual Twilight Abendlä ndisches Lied / Occidental Song Verklä rung / Transfiguration Fö hn / Fö hn Wind Der Wanderer / The Wayfarer Karl Kraus / Karl Kraus An die Verstummten / To the Ones Who Fell Silent Passion / Passion Siebengesang des Todes / Sevenfold Song of Death Winternacht / Winter Night In Venedig / In Venice Vorhö lle / Limbo Die Sonne / The Sun Gesang einer gefangenen Amsel / Song of a Captive Blackbird Sommer / Summer Sommersneige / The Remains of Summer Jahr / Year Abendland / Occident Frü hling der Seele / Springtime of the Soul Im Dunkel / In Darkness Gesang des Abgeschiedenen / Song of the One Departed In Hellbrunn / In Hellbrunn Das Herz / The Heart Der Schlaf / Sleep Das Gewitter / The Thunderstorm Der Abend / Evening Die Nacht / Night Die Schwermut / Melancholy Die Heimkehr / The Return Klage / Lament Nachtergebung / Night’ s Surrender Im Osten / In the East Hö lderlin / Hö lderlin Grodek / Grodek Die drei Teiche in Hellbrunn / The Three Ponds in Hellbrunn About the Author About the Translator