Creative Juices

The creative juices are flowing,

they started without my knowing.

When I think they might end,

there comes a bend,

And I no longer know

where I am going.

Kreative Kräfte²⁵

Kreative Kräfte sind wieder im Gang.

Ohne mein Wissen kam der Anfang.²⁶

Bevor sie versiegen

muss ich abbiegen,

Doch weiß ich nicht mehr

wohin und wo lang.²⁷

²⁵ This poem about creativity is written in the form of a limerick and strictly follows its rhyme scheme in the German original, as well as the English translation.

²⁶ In order to preserve the rhyme scheme, there are slight differences made in the order of thought or syntax in the English version, such as in the second line of the first verse. A literal translation of that line from the German would read: « without my knowing, the beginning came. » Whereas the English turns around the syntax to read: « they started without my knowing, » which rhymes with « going » in the first line.

²⁷ The last line of the final verse in the German original plays with « wohin » and « wo lang, » allowing for alliteration, which is compensated in the first line of the final English verse with an internal rhyme « no longer know. »