GROTESQUE

These are the damned circles Dante trod,
Terrible in hopelessness,

But even skulls have their humour,
An eyeless and sardonic mockery:

And we,
Sitting with streaming eyes in the acrid smoke,
That murks our foul, damp billet,
Chant bitterly, with raucous voices
As a choir of frogs
In hideous irony, our patriotic songs.

(written in English)


Dit zijn de verdoemde cirkels die Dante betrad,
Vreselijk in hun hopeloosheid,

Maar zelfs schedels hebben hun gevoel voor humor,
Een blinde en sardonische spot:

En wij,
Met tranende ogen in de scherpe rook,
Die onze vuile, klamme buikriem bevuilt,
Zingen bitter, met schorre stem
Als een koor van kikkers
In afzichtelijke ironie, onze vaderlandslievende liederen.

(Dutch translation, (c) Kim Maes)

Frederic Manning

Frederic Manning

Frederic Manning (22 July 1882 – 22 February 1935) was an Australian poet and novelist. Born in Sydney, Manning was the son (one of eight children) of local politician William Patrick Manning. His family were Roman Catholics of Irish origin. A sickly child (asthma), Manning was educated exclusively at home. He settled in the United Kingdom in 1903. Read more…

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