Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Ave, Herr Gilleland!

I don't know much German, but I know the words Fuß and Reise—"foot" and "travel/voyage/trip." So when I skipped over to Mike Gilleland's site and saw a walking poem called "Fußreise," I could easily figure out that it's almost the same as 도보여행/dobo-yeohaeng in Korean: "foot-journey," i.e., a walking trip. And I'm susceptible to the charms of walking poems. Wrote a so-so one myself some years back (click and scroll down to the bottom). I'm particularly partial to the poem known to Gandalf and Bilbo. Here's the middle part, hinted at in Peter Jackson's cinematic version of the story:

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet. 
 
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.
 
The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone.
Let others follow, if they can!
Let them a journey new begin.
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Meanwhile go give "Fußreise" a read.



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