As We Drifted / Als wir dahin trieben

Robert Brandts, born in 1930 and “molded from the mud of the Lesser Floyd River, the Ganges of Sioux County, Iowa”, taught English in Kenya, then Creative Writing and African Literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Bob Brandts owned a bar, “The English Department”, built his own house (and built another after losing the first in a wildfire), paints in oil and pastels, and brews his own beer. He published the poetry volumes “As We Drifted” and “Dear 732”, a selection from which and from the anthology “ondas” is presented here, with German translations by Mitch Cohen and Wolfgang Heyder. At poetry readings, Bob has shared the stage with Kenneth Rexroth, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Alan Ginsberg, and Gary Snyder.

With illustrations by Robert Brandts.

Excerpt from the book

Early Morning

When I woke, you were lying

in the hammock of my brain

one foot dangling close enough

to kiss, I whispered, I life you;

you started to smile but then

ordered another Nubian Djinn.

Later when you asked how hot

it was, I said, Ninety-eight point six.

Früh am Morgen

Als ich aufwachte, lagst du

in der Hängematte meines Gehirns,

ein Fuß baumelnd, nah genug

zu küssen. Ich flüsterte: Ich lebe dich,

was dich lächeln ließ, aber dann

bestelltest du noch einen Nubian Djinn*.

Später, als du mich fragtest, wie heiß es sei,

antwortete ich: siebenunddreißig zwei.

*Nubian Djinn = ein Gebräu mit falscher Orthografie

Further Information

Author Robert Brandts

Reading Sample

VLB-TIX