54. All think what other people think (Anthologie)

The Scholars

Bald heads, forgetful of their sins,
Old, learned, respectable bald heads
Edit and annotate the lines
That young men, tossing on their beds,
Rhymed out in love’s despair
To flatter beauty’s ignorant ear.

All shuffle there, all cough in ink;
All wear the carpet with their shoes;
All think what other people think;
All know the man their neighbour knows.
Lord, what would they say
Did their Catullus walk their way?

— William Butler Yeats

[this „Wandering minstrels“ poem is archived, accessible and awaiting your comments at]

http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1482.html

Der Gelehrte

Der Kahlkopf keiner Schuld bewußt,
Alt´, weis´, ehrwürdiger kahler Kopf
Ediert und annotiert den Vers,
Den jung der Dichter im Lotterbett
In Liebeskummer einst ersonnen,
Um der Geliebten beizukommen.

Er hustet Tinte, er schleicht und schlurft;
Sein Fuß nur Teppichboden berührt;
Er denkt was jeder andre denkt;
Er kennt wen auch sein Nachbar kennt.
Oh Herr, wie würd er stammeln,
Käm sein Catull gegangen.

/ 18.3.04