The Brown Book

Diary Entry of February 24, 1873

Overview

Wagner answers Georg Herwegh in ironic verse about age, political identity, and artistic influence. He casts himself as a still-effective rat-catcher and Herwegh as an unchanged democratic ballad singer.

Content

Monday, February 24:

An Georg Herwegh
Ja, lieber Herwegh, man wird alt;
doch stets noch aus dem Wald es schalt
wenn spielt der kühne Rattenfänger;
und Du, ob Politik Du treibst,
Ob Poesie, Physik, Du bleibst
der demokrat’sche Bänkelsänger.

To Georg Herwegh
Yes, dear Herwegh, one grows old;
but still the wood re-echoes bold
to the tune of brave Rat-Catcher;
and you, whether politics your game,
or poetry, physics, still stay the same
democratic ballad basher.