Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck

Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck

(Originally published in the February 11, 1987 issue of The Shopping News) 

DER BILLY PAUL

By Ernest Waldo Bechtel

Ich waar mol gange reide uff me annere Mann sei Gaul.

Mit meim Hut dief im Kopp un en Duwack in meim Maul.

Der Gaul is sackerments ans Schpringe darich Barig, Wiss un Daal.

Un wiescht gegrische hawwich, “Schtopp doch bletzlich, Billy Paul!”

 

Billy Paul waar sei Naame, lang waare all sei Beh.

Haarich waar sei schwatzer Kopp mit Ohre doch so glee.

Widder hawwich gegrische; er hot mich gaar net gheert.

Nass sin mir nau noch warre; es hot so wiescht gerehert.

 

Woh un woh! Un widder woh! Mei Schprooch is schwecher warre.

Guck ich rechts un seh im Feld en Dutzend yunge Marre.

Do kummt mei End; er geht graad zu – die Fens un no’ die Narre.

Ich wott ich hett es bede glannt; oh, wu is doch mei Parre?

 

Billy Paul, oh Billy Paul, bedenk du doch dei End!

Die Marre nooch zu schpringe is Zeit ganz iwwel gschpend!

Un du as nau dann reide will, halt mol erscht dei Maul.

Schtudier dann gut un hatt un lang – die Gedanke vumme Gaul!

***

BILLY PAUL

I went ariding on another man’s horse.

With my hat deep in my face and tobacco in my mouth.

By gollies the horse began to run across hill, meadow and valley,

And terribly I cried, “Stop immediately, Billy Paul!”

 

Billy Paul was his name, long were all his legs.

Hairy was his black head, yet with ears so small.

Again I cried; he heard me not at all.

Wet we both became; then came a terrible rain.

 

Whoa and whoa! And again whoa! My voice was getting weaker.

I glance to the right into a field – a dozen young mares!

Here comes my end; he goes right to them – over the fence and after the mares.

I wish I’d learned to pray – oh, where is my minister?

 

Billy Paul, oh Billy Paul, think upon your end!

Running after mares is a poor way to spend your time.

And those of you who still want to ride, hold your tongue!

Study long and hard – the mentality of a horse.

***

It has been almost two years since our “Alder Kumraad,” Ernie Bechtel has written a dialect poem, so this week we have occasion to rejoice. On November 2, 1986 “Der Billy Paul” – in Ernie’s words – “is darich kumme.” Ernie recalled a horse he once borrowed. Ernie writes, “He almost got away with me hanging on his side like a ‘pony soldier.’”

Ernie also wrote, “Es hot yuscht vier Farschde gewwe, awwer es verzehlt die Schtorie in ganz paar Wadde.” And that indeed is the beauty of this excellent poem, its brevity and the vivid images it conjures up.

Now that the log-jam, has been broken, we hope we’ll be sharing many more poems from Ernie’s pen with you. – Since the beginning of January, 1970, Bechtel has been writing a weekly column in der Mudderschprooch in the Ephrata Review. We hope both of us will be able to continue to write Dutch columns for our Ephrata (and vicinity) readers for many years to come. We have been on WLBR in Lebanon ever since May of 1971. Mir sin bekannt als “Die alde Kummraade.”

February 11, 1987

Yuscht en Bischli-Gnippli