In "Primer of Experimental Poetry 1" Edward Lucie-Smith includes many poets and translators, including himself. At least one poem in the somewhat slim but inclusive collection that accompanies Lucie-Smith's text is a translation by the author of the original. That poem is Kurt Schwitter's "An Anna Blume" ("About Anna Blume" literally) which Schwitters has playfully transformed to "Eve Blossum Has Wheels" in his translation.
The problem is that most of the translations in the volume are more literal translations (not always the best, I'll be the first to acknowledge) than attempts to "capture the poetry lost in a literal translation." (See my "interpretations" of Rimbaud to more understand the liberties I'm willing to allow a translator.)
Schwitters' own translation is more the "interpretation" that I prefer when reading, say, Rimbaud. With Schwitters, I'd just as soon or sooner read a more literal translation than the game he's invented by interpretting his poem rather than translating it.
I'm lucky to have less a problem than when translating Rimbaud (I know less than twenty words in French): I have some German language experience (not to mention heritage, genes, et al). So, what follows are the three versions of the Kurt Schwitters poem, "An Anna Blume".
Top, translation by Greg Baysans (1979/2002).
Middle, "interpretation" by Kurt Schwitters (1919).
Bottom, the original German (1919).
About Anna BlossomsO you, most beloved of my twenty-nine mindsets, i love ya! You your you of you, i your, you me, -- We?
That belongs (by the way) not around here.
Who are you, uncountable Ladyrooms? You're -- -- are you? -- Folks say you were. -- Let 'em talk; they don't even know how the churchtower stands.
Ya wear yer hat on your feet and wander on your hands, on yer hands ya wander.
Hello? You in red clothes in white folds!
Red I love Anna Blossoms, red I love you -- You your you of you, i your, you me, -- We?
That belongs (by the way) in the cold glow.
Red Blossoms, red Anna Blossoms, what are people saying?
Winning question: 1. Anna Blossoms had a bird.
_ 2. Anna Blossoms is red.
_ 3. What color is the bird?
Blue is the color of your golden hair,
red is the whirlwind of your green birds.
You simple lady in everyday clothes, you beloved green gnu, i love you! -- You your you of you, i your, you me, -- We?
That belongs (by the way) to glowing fires.
Anna Blossoms! Anna, a-n-n-a- i trickle your
Name. Your name drips like runny tallow.
Do ya know, Anna, do you know now?
Best of all, you're the same from front or back:
a-n-n-a.
Tallow trickles, licks my own back.
Anna Blossoms, you drippy gnu, i love you.
Eve Blossom has WheelsO thou, beloved of my twenty-seven senses,
I love thine!
Thou thee thee thine, I thine, thou mine, we?
That (by the way) is beside the point!
Who art thou, uncounted woman,
Thou art, art thou?
People say, thou werst,
Let them say, they don't know what they are talking about.
Thou wearest thine hat on thy feet, and wanderest on thine hands,
On thine hands thou wanderest.
Hallo, thy red dress, sawn into white folds,
Red I love eve Blossom, red I love thine!
Thou thee thee thine, I thine, thou mine, we?
That (by the way) belongs to the cold glow!
eve Blossom, red eve Blossom, what do people say?
Prize Question: 1. eve Blossom is red.
_ 2. eve Blossom has wheels.
_ 3. what colour are the wheels?
Blue is the colour of your yellow hair,
Red is the whirl of your green wheels,
Thou simple maiden in everyday dress,
Thou small green animal,
I love thine!
Thou thee thee thine, I thine, thou mine, we?
That (by the way) belongs to the glowing brazier!
eve Blossom,
eve,
E-V-E,
E easy, V victory, E easy,
I trickle your name,
Your name drops like soft tallow.
Do you know it, eve,
Do you already know it?
One can also read you from the back.
And you, you most glorious of all,
You are from the back as from the front,
E-V-E.
Easy victory.
Tallow trickles to strike over my back!
eve Blossom,
Thou drippy animal,
I
Love
Thine!
I love you! ! !
An Anna BlumeO du, Geliebte meiner siebenundzwanzig Sinne, ich liebe dir! -- Du deiner dich dir, ich dir, du mir. -- Wir?
Das gehört (beiläufig) nicht hierher.
Wer bist du, ungezähltes Frauenzimmer? Du bist -- -- bist du? Die Leute sagen, du wärest, -- laß sie sagen, sie wissen nicht, wie der Kirchturm steht.
Du trägst den Hut auf deinen Füßen und wanderst auf die Hände, auf den Händen wanderst du.
Hallo, deine roten Kleider, in weiße Falten zersägt.
Rot liebe ich Anna Blume, rot liebe ich dir! -- Du deiner dich dir, ich dir, du mir. -- Wir?
Das gehört (beiläufig) in die kalte Glut.
Rote Blume, rote Anna Blume, wie sagen die Leute?
Preisfrage: 1. Anna Blume hat ein Vogel.
_ 2. Anna Blume ist rot.
_ 3. Welche Farbe hat der Vogel?
Blau ist die Farbe deines gelben Haares.
Rot ist das Girren deines grünen Vogels.
Du schlichtes Mädchen im Alltagskleid, du liebes grünes Tier, ich liebe dir! -- Du deiner dich dir, ich dir, du mir. -- Wir?
Das gehört (beiläufig) in die Glutenkiste.
Anna Blume! Anna; a-n-n-a- ich träufle deinen
Namen. Dein Name tropft wie weiches Rindertalg.
Weißt du es, Anna, weißt du es schon?
Man kann dich auch von hintern lesen, und du, du
Herrlichste von allen, du bist von hinten wie von vorne:
'a-n-n-a'.
Rindertalg träufelt streicheln über meinen Rücken.
Anna Blume, du tropfes Tier, ich liebe dir!