"Aus Spiel wird Ernst", or: How I almost had the chance to win a contest...

Well, well, well, my little droogies! HELLO!

There was a contest taking place recently, and I wanted to send a poem for said contest. Only downside was: When I was done writing I noticed the deadline had been several weeks beforehand. So what to do, I asked myself? I didn't want to NOT share it after all, but I was scared... Scared of rejection, maybe. Or maybe even worse things.

Fact is, I personally don't think it is that bad. But judge for yourself, I guess. I will try to translate it, too, because it is in German.

*ahem* ;)

Aus Spiel wird Ernst

Nach dem Regen stieg die Sonne,
Langte zaghaft nach dem Grund,
Umtanzte selbst die kleinsten Tiere,
Verschlang die Nacht mit ihrem Mund.

Unendlich schien die Nacht zu währen,
Die Sonne schien zur Mittagsstund‘.
So tummelten sich in Wärme Schnecken,
Unentdeckt, ein schöner Fund!

Die Kinder spielten fleißig draußen,
Ließen sich nicht halten nun.
Das Leben brannte in den Kleinen,
Es gab so viel zu seh‘n und tun.

Die Füßchen rannten durch das Gras,
Unwissend von dem kleinen Schatz.
Der kleinste Junge, hoch gesprungen,
Landete auf diesem Platz.

„Huch, das wollte ich nicht tun;
Was ist denn bloß geschehen?
Habe ich in all dem Spiel
Die Schneckchen nicht gesehen?“

Und alle Kinder fingen an
Zu weinen und zu flehen,
Dass man ihnen vergebe nun
Fürs Schnecken-echt-nicht-sehen.

„Nein, das macht nichts - wirklich“,
Meinte der Vater zu den Kindern.
„Die Tiere spüren keine Schmerzen,
Sonst müsste man’s verhindern.“

* * *

Play gets serious

The sun rose after rain,

Carefully reached for the ground,

Danced around even the smallest animals,

Engulfed the night with her mouth.

The night seemed to last infinitely,

The sun shone at noon's hour.

So snails scrimmaged in warmth,

Unfound, a great discovery!

Diligently, the children played outside,

Now didn't let anybody hold them back.

Life burnt inside these little ones,

There was so much to see and do.

The little feet ran through the grass,

 Unknowing of the little treasure.
The smallest boy, who jumped high,

Landed on this place.

"Yikes, I did not want to do that;

 What is it that happened?

Didn't I notice the little snails

In all this playing?"

And all the children began

To cry and to beg,

That somebody'd forgive them

For really-not-seeing-the-snails.

"No, this doesn't matter - really",

The father told the children.

"The animals don't feel pain,

Otherwise one'd have to prevent it."

I know the sense behind this may be controversial, but just let me say that I wanted to make the reader think about this -- I, personally, don't think the father IS right, because I believe feelings are not something only appearing in humans.

I didn't want to write more, though. I have my reasons, and one reason is that I wouldn't want to raise my index finger and shake it because that won't lead anywhere in my opinion.

What do you think? I hope you won't be angry because I rarely ever update here... :( I hope I will be able to do this more often as of soon [I am planning something AWESOME with a folder I just bought, and may be posting WIPs in this case ^o~...].

Have a nice time, until the next time we meet again.

~R.