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Welcome ! | Home · FAQ · Topics · Web Links · Your Account · Submit Poetry · Top 30 · OldSite Link | 29-May 18:36:52 AEST | ||
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Array
(
[sid] => 17926
[catid] => 1
[aid] => Mick
[title] => Language Barrier
[time] => 2003-05-21 22:05:00
[hometext] => This a true story.
It happened not too long ago. [bodytext] => Hans rode from Austria’s Innsbruck on a train Across the Brenner Pass to Italy, He wishes he knew some more Italian To fan an interesting colloquy, A man sat opposite him on the train, And introduced himself “Giovanni” (John) He made it clear he’d traveled across Spain And then in France along the Seine and Rhône But now he wanted to explore and see Notorious spots and famed historic sites- The places of patriotic bravery, Where Garibaldi once had fought his fights. Language barrier! - oh how it does impede To make a fascinating story clear! Thus they conversed with fingers, fist and feet To overcome the bothersome barrier. A pencil was drawn forth from an etui, And various items from a big valise. Brochures and maps of northern Italy, And divers charts with many a crimp and crease. Hans spoke: “Signor Giovanni - bitte Herr!” And delicately scratched his shining pate, Let’s get a dictionary - its not fair With hands and fingers only to translate. But soon the city Mantua came in sight, And the Signore tweaked Hans in the arm, For in this city Virgil saw the light, And on a hill had stood his parents’ farm; Capisci Hans? - Hans do you understand?- Virgil, - the Aneid, - have you never heard? The epic glorifying Roman land The Pax Romana and Augustus’ sword For Virgil wrote the poet Tennyson A splendid and most haunting elegy: “Oh Mantuan! - on which the graces shone Of the nine muses -Hail, Hail unto Thee!” But whistling softly Hans raised fingers three, To indicate some rocky mountain shelves Where fifteen hundred Anno Domini The Ghibbelinis battled the fierce Ghuelps. And soon they sighted the great river Po, Where at that time the big loose cannons stood, And fighters, well entrenched laid tight and low, In apprehension of impending feud. Hans likewise had to tell a worthy tale, But language,-oh, that bothersome barrier, He traced out areas with the fingernail To benefit his knowledgeable peer. Capisci Hans? - Hans do you understand? The signor groaned,- Comprends-tu mon ami? “Loose cannons are an asset in a land, They do survive,- t’is called longevity!”.. They talked about some maidens’ sweet allure, Vendettas, feuds and violent jealousies, Then thumbed for leads and clues in a brochure And found some new spaghetti recipes. A map was eased from out a rubber band, It showed the city Pisa in light blue, And so Hans leaned a little bit aslant. To indicate that Pisa’s tower stood askew. They talked about persistent enmities, Amongst some cavaliers, and thereupon Giovanni fetched a knife from his valise, And struck the bench hard with his knucklebone. It hurt somewhat, for tender was the bone So very hard it was that he had struck, But soon he sang in mellow baritone The haunting tune: “Marie pleur près du lac” “We skipped Belluno Hans, - what great a pity! Look over there! - Oh beauteous Italy! The vineyards round this quaint and charming city Capisci Hans? What gorgeous scenery! But soon Giovanni had to take his leave, And said fare-well to Hans, and would descend,- A shame and pity they did not achieve The language skills to better understands. He had arrived at destination, he Now waved good-bye to Hans affectionately Then sauntered off, but strange a thing occurred, He turned and dropped a paper in the dirt, The paper’s title stood forth large and fat, And Hans with great astonishment there read: “THE INNSBRUCK DAILY NEWS“,- amazing clue, His pal came from his hometown Innsbruck too. [comments] => 2 [counter] => 186 [topic] => 7 [informant] => Elizabeth_Dandy [notes] => [ihome] => 0 [alanguage] => english [acomm] => 0 [haspoll] => 0 [pollID] => 0 [score] => 5 [ratings] => 1 [editpoem] => 1 [associated] => [topicname] => HumorPoetry )
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