Inspired by a Dutch poem by P.N. van Eyck (the man died a few day's before I was born) 'De tuinman en de dood' (Dead and the Gardener:
http://booksdofurnisharoom.typepad.com/books_do_furnish_a_room/2007/09/death-and-the-g.html). This poem is plagiarism of a text in Jean Cocteau's novel "Le grand écart". Cocteau's text is based on an old Jewish, respectively Arabic story or as mentioned in the above link: "The story originally comes from the tales of Mulla Nasrudin, a legendary Sufi mystic, supposedly born in Anatolia in the 13th century."
Esfahān or Ispahan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isfahan
Jean Cocteau: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Cocteau
Death and the Gardener:
In rushed my gardener from this morning's dew,
White as a ghost seeking refuge, "Sir, Sir, a word with you!
Down in the rose arbor, pruning shoot after shoot,
I glanced around and Death behind me stood.
I jumped, and hastened off along the other side,
But yet caught a glimpse of his raised scythe.
Master, your horse, let me forthwith be gone,
Before sunset I shall reach Ispahan!"
This afternoon (he was long galloped thence)
I met Death in the cedar'd park and hence
Asked outright, for silent sentinel stood he, "Pray why
At early light did you my servant terrify?"
With a grimace came his reply, "No vain threat dismayed
Your gardener and forced him flee. I was amazed
At dawn to find still calmly working here this man,
He who this evening I must claim in Ispahan."
In rushed my gardener from this morning's dew,
White as a ghost seeking refuge, "Sir, Sir, a word with you!
Down in the rose arbor, pruning shoot after shoot,
I glanced around and Death behind me stood.
I jumped, and hastened off along the other side,
But yet caught a glimpse of his raised scythe.
Master, your horse, let me forthwith be gone,
Before sunset I shall reach Ispahan!"
This afternoon (he was long galloped thence)
I met Death in the cedar'd park and hence
Asked outright, for silent sentinel stood he, "Pray why
At early light did you my servant terrify?"
With a grimace came his reply, "No vain threat dismayed
Your gardener and forced him flee. I was amazed
At dawn to find still calmly working here this man,
He who this evening I must claim in Ispahan."
De tuinman en de dood
Een Perzisch Edelman:
Van morgen ijlt mijn tuinman, wit van schrik,
Mijn woning in: "Heer, Heer, één ogenblik!
Mijn woning in: "Heer, Heer, één ogenblik!
Ginds, in de rooshof, snoeide ik loot na loot,
Toen keek ik achter mij. Daar stond de Dood.
Toen keek ik achter mij. Daar stond de Dood.
Ik schrok, en haastte mij langs de andere kant,
Maar zag nog juist de dreiging van zijn hand.
Maar zag nog juist de dreiging van zijn hand.
Meester, uw paard, en laat mij spoorslags gaan,
Voor de avond nog bereik ik Ispahaan!" -
Voor de avond nog bereik ik Ispahaan!" -
Van middag (lang reeds was hij heengespoed)
Heb ik in 't cederpark de Dood ontmoet.
Heb ik in 't cederpark de Dood ontmoet.
"Waarom," zo vraag ik, want hij wacht en zwijgt,
"Hebt gij van morgen vroeg mijn knecht gedreigd?"
"Hebt gij van morgen vroeg mijn knecht gedreigd?"
Glimlachend antwoordt hij: "Geen dreiging was 't,
Waarvoor uw tuinman vlood. Ik was verrast,
Waarvoor uw tuinman vlood. Ik was verrast,
Toen 'k 's morgens hier nog stil aan 't werk zag staan,
Die 'k 's avonds halen moest in Ispahaan."
Die 'k 's avonds halen moest in Ispahaan."
P.N. van Eyck
