Poetry Monday :: Christmas

Long ago we spent a year in Salzgitter, Germany. There it was a tradition that the priest and some of the children from the parish came dressed as the three wise men and sung carols in the Christmas week. Sternsinger they're called in German - Star singers. The house is blessed, and the singers are given cookies, candy and tea or soft drinks, and the priest get some money for the needy (or I guess hand out something if you're the needy one).

I think this is a good tradition, and would very much like to transplant it to Denmark.

We also had a visit, and they sung a song that stayed with me, and that I have tried to translate into Danish. Today I tried my hand at an English translation, please be not too harsh on my humble try.

-- 🌟 --

The song is called
Stern über Betlehem

Stern über Betlehem, zeig uns den Weg
führ uns zur Krippe hin, zeig wo sie steht,
leuchte du uns voran, bis wir dort sind,
Stern über Betlehem, führ uns zum Kind.

Stern über Betlehem, nun bleibst du stehn
und läßt uns alle das Wunder hier sehen,
das da geschehen, was niemand gedacht,
Stern über Betlehem, in dieser Nacht.

Stern über Betlehem, wir sind am Ziel,
denn dieser arme Stall birgt doch so viel!
Du hast uns hergeführt, wir danken dir,
Stern über Betlehem, wir bleiben hier.

Stern über Betlehem, kehren wir zurück,
scheint noch dein helles Licht in unserm Blick,
und was uns froh gemacht, teilen wir aus,
Stern über Betlehem, schein auch zu Haus.

-- 🌟 --

And in Danish
Stjerne fra Betlehem

Stjerne fra Betlehem, vis os nu vej
før os til kongen nu, vi følger dig
lys på vor mørke vej til vi når frem
Stjerne fra Betlehem, før os til Ham.

Stjerne fra Betlehem, standser du her?
Barnet i krybben ser vi i dit skær
Her er et under sket, vi fandt en skat.
Stjerne fra Betlehem, i denne nat.

Stjerne fra Betlehem, vi nåede frem.
Røgelse, guld og sølv bragte vi Ham.
Du ledte os herhen, vi takker dig,
Stjerne fra Betlehem, for lys på vej.

Stjerne fra Betlehem, når vi ta'r væk,
skinner dit stærke lys i vores blik,
og vi fortæller om barnet, vi fandt.
Stjerne fra Betlehem, tag med os hjem!

-- 🌟 --

English translation
Star above Betlehem
Star above Betlehem show us the way
lead us to Betlehem, and not astray.
Shine with your gentle light in our night
Star above Betlehem show us the child.

Star above Betlehem, now here you stay,
And let us all see the child in the hay.
What happen'd in this place? We saw a spark,
Star above Betlehem, deep in the dark.

Star above Betlehem this is our goal
For in this humble place Him we behold
You led us to this place, we thank you star
Star above Betlehem, you led us far.

Star above Betlehem when we go home
still shines your gentle light in our gloom.
What we saw in this place, we have to share
Star above Betlehem stay with us there.

-- 🌟 --

You can listen here in German:

- - - - -

Next Monday: The Future (Diane's last Poetry Monday - for now, we hope!)

Words for Wednesday - Catch-up December 13 & 20 - Second part.

For December 13th we had the following words:
Gnocchi
Dynamite
Chariot
Bucket
Periwinkle
    And/or
Noticeboard
Blunt
Bockety
Fifty
Shortbread

For December 20th we had the following words:
Smithereens
Arch
Magazine
Outcome
Income
     And/or
Primrose
Cormorant
Boreen
Lucidity
Antagonism

I made it a bit further using up all the words from December 13. Still I'm not totally certain what, if anything is in the locket, and what will happen. This is quite a good chapter for filling in on Unicorn Farm, the language spell, (Mál sameinast), and the apprentices. The locket and this whole story ... not so much. It is up for a total re-write before making it into my book. 

The after dinner lessons were short but intense. The friends quickly agreed to wait with solving the puzzle of the locket until next morning and hurried to the Barn, where Gilvi was just about to end the day. As usual he told of the plans for tomorrow's lessons, and ended by cancelling the Mál Sameinast.

Next morning bright and early saw the ten apprentices meet in the old chambermaids' room under the roof, Our friends had only little trouble understanding one another, as Swedish, Norwegian and Danish are very close to one another. Only My's very Northern Norwegian made Heidi a bit insecure, but Olav and his cousins translated her dialectal words into Bokmål for the Danes. Before they sat down, Lis removed the bockety chair from the table, telling the others of this strange word for worn and unsteady.
Then they got to work on the locket. First Olav cleaned off the barnacles with his pocket knife; He had one of those red ones with many different instruments in it. "My granddad has one with over fifty functions. I'll get a larger one when I turn 15."
"But that one is great," Susan exclaimed. "I always wanted a pocket knife, but my parents did not think it wise. Then I became a girl scout and had a big knife instead."
The others laughed. "Good one, Susan," Olav said, "A knife is an indispensable tool."
"Now I've removed the barnacles, Now what?" Olav asked.
"Try opening the locket," Lis suggested, "don't you think your smallest blade is slim enough to squeeze in there," she said, pointing to a small crack in the seam between the two halves.
All Olav's prying and trying was to no avail. the locket did not give. Then Tage discovered the spidery script along the rim of the locket.
Then the bell in the Belfry struck one time. In a quarter of an hour everyone would gather in the Barn, Gilvi would announce any news, and most important, cast the Mál sameinast, the language spell allowing all professors and apprentices to understand what everybody else said and be understood by everyone. Woe to the latecomers, trying to fumble through Taavi and Tähti's Finnish or Jon's very rural Norwegian, or the two Faroese newcomers strange syllables.
"We have to go down and get dressed," Heidi said.
"Let's meet again in the lunch break," Tage said, "I have an idea."

In the Barn, baskets of cookies, shortbread and small buns stood on the table together with teapots, milk and sugar.
Gilvi spoke: "Today is a feast day. Today, a year ago, we had the first meeting in what was to become the  professor's group at the Unicorn Farm. Today a year ago Unicorn Farm had its name. Today is the birthday of The Unicorn Farm! Let's make some happy noises."
Everybody obeyed, and Hoorays, Yahoos and similar sound filled the air, accompanied by clapping of hands and stomping of feet.

... to be continued

Solhverv ~ Solstice

Det er sket. Mens vi lå og sov, helt præcist klokken 4.27 i morges, vendte solen og fra nu af bliver dagene længere.
     Jeg glæder mig, og det kan ikke gå for hurtigt med lysere, længere dage!

-- 🌞 --

It has happened! While I was sleeping - to be exact at 4.47 am  - the Sun reversed, and the days are now getting longer.

Yes I know that on the Southern hemisphere they're getting shorter from now. I know, but I can't really feel it in my longing for longer, brighter days.

Words for Wednesday - Catch-up December 13 & 20 - First part.

This challenge started a long time ago. Now it has turned into a movable feast with Elephant's Child as our coordinator; and the Words provided by a number of people.

The general idea of this challenge is to make us write. Poems, stories, subtitles, tales, jokes, haiku, crosswords, puns, ... you're the boss.
Use all Words, some Words, one Word, or even none of them if that makes your creative juices flow. Anything goes, only please nothing rude or vulgar.

 It is also a challenge, where the old saying "The more the merrier" holds true.

So Please, remember to follow the links, go back and read other peoples' stories. And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement. And we ALL need encouragement.

-- 🐳 --

The prompts for every Wednesday in December are provided by WiseWebWoman, and made public at EC's blog.

For December 13th we had the following words:
Gnocchi
Dynamite
Chariot
Bucket
Periwinkle
    And/or
Noticeboard
Blunt
Bockety
Fifty
Shortbread

For December 20th we had the following words:
Smithereens
Arch
Magazine
Outcome
Income
     And/or
Primrose
Cormorant
Boreen
Lucidity
Antagonism

I have a lot of catching up to do. Hopefully the next couple of days will see this story evolve.

We're back in the first year at the Unicorn Farm and continuing the story of the Sea Monster and the Locket from August and from December 6th.
As always I used the Words in the order they were given. I used only the crossed out words so far.

They made it home to The Farm before dinner. Today the Nisser served stew and gnocchi, a strange combination, but very tasty.
After dinner they met in the old chambermaids' room under the roof. It had over the months become the problem pit for Susan and her friends in times of need. Olav, Susan, Heidi, Tage and Lis met with My, Marit, Astrid and the two hippie sisters Fiona and Veronika. Those two had only recently joined the close knit group, but after an accident, involving Tage, a stick of dynamite and some unmade homework, they also were an accepted part of the team.
Heidi pulled the locket from her pocket and Lis and Tage told the story of the strange poem in Olav's book, the sea monster and the locket.
"We only miss him riding to Heaven in a fiery chariot," Astrid said, a teasing smile forming on her face. "I wonder if ..."
Tage interrupted. "Nope, no chariots here, only an old bucket with a periwinkle plastic handle.
They all broke out in laughter at this remark and when they got their breath back, Astrid said: "Yah, I admit, I had a hard time believing you, but where else could you have gotten such a locket; I mean look at it, it's overgrown with barnacles and stuff. It must have been at the bottom of the sea for years ans years."
"Let's open it," Heidi said.
"Wait," Veronika said. "Didn't you read the noteboard this morning? Lessons will start again in a fem minutes."
"To be blunt, no I did not," Tage said, and the rest of the apprentices either nodded or came with agreeing sounds
"What a luck we have mother Veronika to look after us wayward children," Olav said, which made Veronika gently elbow him and the rest begin laughing again.
Heidi put the locket back in her pocket, and Susan suggested that they met again after lessons.
"We sure will," Fiona said, speaking for them all, while she, Astrid, and Marit ran for the door. They had to be in the meadow for flying lessons.
The rest of the group left in a more orderly fashion, Tage extinguished the lights and closed the door before he ran down the stairs and reached the purple door across the corridor just a bit after Heidi, Lis and Olav.  
My slipped inside the blue door just seconds before Tähti arrived; and Susan, and Veronika reached the green dor at the end of the corridor at the same time as did Thora.

Cancelled

After a wait at the hospital, I was called in by a nice doctor and told that my surgery was postponed due to more tests needed.

I'm not totally unhappy with this. Surgery less than a week before Christmas ... let's just say that the timing could be better.

Blogging will soon resume 💖