Poem

Appel for m.r.-r.

I find, it’s high time, that there is again
something new to read from you.
(M.R.-R. letter dated 12^th December 1978)

Please, let us hear from you and send me
manuscripts, because it’s now really high
time, that there is something of you
to read in our newspaper.
(M.R.-R. letter dated 29^th May 1980)

High time comes from inside

High time is, when the pits
are nicely black

And that knows first and foremost
the tree.

**************

Apfel für m.r.-r.

Ich finde, es ist höchste Zeit, daß es wieder
etwas Neues von Ihnen zu lesen gibt.
(M.R.-R. brief vom 12. dezember 1978)

Bitte, lassen Sie von sich hören und schicken Sie
mir Manuskripte, denn es ist ja nun höchste
Zeit, daß es in unserer Zeitung etwas von Ihnen
zu lesen gibt.
(M.R.-R.. brief vom 29. mai 1980)

Höchste Zeit kommt von innen

Höchste zeit ist, wenn die kerne
schön schwarz sind

Und das weiß zuerst
der baum.

From „Auf eigene hoffnung", Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 1981
Translation: Germain Droogenbroodt
(©) Reiner Kunze and Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt

Reiner Kunze, born 1933 in Oelnitz, East-Germany studied philosophy and journalism. He is one of the most important contemporary German poets. As according to the Communist leaders one could not be a poet and give lectures on philosophy, he lost his job and survived giving poetry readings in churches, translating poetry from Czech. Still in East-Germany, his poetry was published in West-Germany where his system-critical verses became extremely popular. Finally he exiled from one to the other Germany , but remained critical as the poem “Appel for M.R.-R” confirms. In addition to 7 books of poetry he also published prose of which his “The Wonderful Years” is internationally the best known. The original works are published in Germany by Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt . His poetry has been published in Czech, in Italian, in English. In Dutch by POINT (Point no. 32 “Niet afkoopbaar met goud – Nicht aufzuwiegen mit gold”, 1994, translated by Germain Droogenbroodt.