Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Eck
(Originally published in the December 28, 1988 issue of The Shopping News)
ERINNERE
By Anna F. Faust
Wann net erinnere kannscht
Mit Geil un Buggy faahre,
Geh mit mir wennich zerick,
Zu lang verbei Yaahre.
Alles nemmt mehner Zeit
Wann mer welle ariyets hie.
Es macht nix aus eb laafscht
Adder faahrscht adder wie!
Buwe, fer noch die Schul,
Misse’s Schpiele verlosse.
Es nemmt schtandhafdich Schuh
Un dunkel Iwwerhosse.
Maed waare net bekannt
Mit katze Haar.
Meh as ee Gaund die Woch waere,
Waar raar.
Mit geschtrickde Hensching
Un Schtritzekappe,
Aa lang Unnergleeder,
Der Schnee darich-dabbe.
Es Schulhaus waar kalt
Bis Nummedaage;
Ich meind noch kalt Esse
Im Kessel gedraage.
Ya, mir erinnere noch
Die “Gude alde Daage!”
Mer kann net verschteh
Ferwas Schuler heit glaage!
January 1, 1988
***
REMEMBERING
If you can’t recall
Driving with horse and buggy,
Return with me
To years long gone.
Everything takes more time
When we want to travel somewhere.
No matter if one walks
Or drives or whatever!
Boys, in order to get to school,
Must leave their play behind.
It takes sturdy shoes
And dark overalls.
Girls were not familiar
With bobbed hair.
Wearing more than one dress a week
Was indeed rare!
With knitted mittens
And sturdy stocking caps,
Also long underwear,
To tramp through the snow.
The schoolroom was cold
Into the afternoons;
I recall eating cold lunch
From the kettle we carried.
Yes, we still remember
The “Good old days!”
One cannot understand
Why pupils complain today!
***
We want to ring out the old year and ring in the new with a poem written on New Year’s Day this year by die Anna vun Bannwill. Even though ERINNERE looks back toward the “horse and buggy days,” looking into our past would do many Americans good these days, for levels of expectation as far as material well being is concerned have increased (through the world of advertising) to almost unobtainable heights. Our grandparents and great-grandparents would rub their eyes in disbelief if they were able to see our houses, our clothes, our cars, etc. In the world which Anna F. Faust frequently writes about, there was a community spirit and a deep neighborly concern that is diminishing in our urbanized world. There are those who are condemned to live in the present because they know nothing of the past, but are their houses not built on sand?
At the same time, we know that there are more and more poor children in our society who are not properly fed, nurtured and educated. Where are the parents, families, neighbors and communities to look after their needs? And all this in one of the richest countries in the world. Was is letz? We pray that the New Year will find less undernourished children and fewer homeless Americans. Wer sarickt fer sie?
Knowing that die Anna vun Bannwill had to be hospitalized this fall, we hope the New Year will bring her continued good health and happiness!
Un nau winsche es Bischli-Gnippli un die Bischlin-Gnipplin alli-ebber datt draus in SHOPPING NEWS Land en gsegnet Nei Yaahr!!!
December 28, 1988
En Bischli-Gnippli
unni Schtritzekapp