-Jehovah & Job Redux

von am 22. September 2022 um 16:06
Veröffentlicht in: Allgemein, Poetry, Polemics, Translation

Jehovah & Job Redux
Herbert Kuhner, Theodor Kramer Prize Laureate

Willy Verkauf-Verlon

Willy Verkauf-Verlon, artist and poet had a peripatetic life, which took him from Austria (in 1938) to Britain, Palestine and back to Austria again. The poems reflect his Jewish odyssey with incision and humor. They accurately depict post-war Austria and the world in general as viewed by a Jewish individualist and non-conformist.

 

In 1994 I suggested to Willy that I do a bilingual collection of his poems. He was delighted agreed to help me on the project and I set to work on Seiltänzer/Tightrope Walker. Peter Malina, who shared my enthusiasm, added a detailed afterword.

Willy sent me a selection of new poems shortly before his death that same year. I added some to my collection and sent copies Dr. Wolfgang Neugebauer of the Documentation Center of Austrian Resistance and to Konstantin Kaiser of the Theodor Kramer Society, which was established to promote Austrian exile authors and those who opposed National Socialism.

“We intend to publish your Willy Verkauf-Verlon book with your translations in the spring of 2014.”
– Konstantin Kaiser of the Theodor Kramer Verlag, Sept. 25, 2013

My friend David Axelrod proof read my English translations at Dr. Kaiser’s behest. “Harry – Thank you for letting me learn more about Willy. These fine poems are sensitively and skillfully translated by you. The commentary (by Peter Malina) helps open Willy both biographically and artistically.”
– David B. Axelrod, Writers Ink Press, 25.09.2013

In 2015 a book containing poems by Willy Verkauf Verlon was indeed published, but it was not the Kuhner-Malina: Seiltänzer/Tightrope Walker.
Auch die Worte haben Grenzen, a monolingual collection of poetry by Willy Verkauf-Verlon, edited Konstantin Kaiser appeared in 2015
by the Theodor Kramer Verlag .

I received a letter from Konstantin Kaiser, dated May 29, 2018. “The (Willy) Verkauf -Verlon bilingual book is not representative as a publication. – I do not know how we could distribute this book.”
– K.K.

On July 9, 2022, I received the following message:
“You have no right to tell me what I should do or to be angry when I don’t do what you think I should do. We don’t have a contract and I have helped you over the years. Show some consideration!
– K.K.

 

King of the Hill

I am l am glad that there are those
who are capable and do good cultural work.
I consider them as my brothers and sisters,
and I try to act accordingly.

My attitude does not match your attitude.
You want to be King of the Hill
and you intend to throw down anyone
who might be a threat to your regnum.

You plotted to cancel out one of my projects
so that you could create one of your own
and substitute it for mine – which you did!

Among the tasks I have chosen
is promoting Austrian culture,
by translating poetry, with the emphasis
on those, who like me, experienced
Third Reich barbarity.

I do this for the sake of doing it.
I am not in competition.

 

Kaiser had previously been publishing the Kramer Society’s books with other publishers. I told him: “Do your own books! I brought him Dr. Johannes Diethart, publisher of books and a literary journal under the logo of Österreichisches Literaturforum

Diethart showed him the ropes, and they worked together until Kaiser said goodbye to Diethart without saying goodbye.

 

Background to Kaiser as Publisher

But the antics do not begin here. Armin Wallas had Staub von den Stadten by Anna Krommer set and announced in his Mnemosyne catalogue.

Guess who published this book, getting the material from the author, and beating Wallas to the draw!

 

An Icy Wind

An icy wind
does not make you giddy
like a sirocco.
It aims at your heart
and blows at high speed
to get at that organ.

Better take cover
when that wind
has you in its path!
If you stand fast
it will cut you to the quick.

 

 

Here’s my goodbye:

It was nice knowing you
before I got to know you.

 

Tarantel to the Rescue!

The Kuhner/Malina book may have been cancelled out temporarily – but NOT permanently!

Willy Verkauf-Verlon: Seiltänzer/Tightrope-Walker appeared in Edition Tarantel in 2019.

Redaktion Tarantel
 Vivariumstraße 8/4/18
1020 Wien
tarantel-wien@gmx.at

Gerald Grassl published this essential book.

104 Seiten/pages €12,-

 

Peter and I say thank you to our rescuer


and I am sure that Willy joins us!

 

 

Exiled By the Exile Library

My friend and colleague Dr. Armin A. Wallas died on May 30th of 2003.
The Austrian scholar, writer, editor and publisher specialized on Austrian-Jewish literature.
(Dr. Wallas published my bilingual collections of poetry by Else Keren,
Stella Rotenberg and Else Keren under his Mnemosyne imprint.)

I wrote to Dr. Ursula Seeber, Director of the Exile Library, requesting a commemorative event for Dr. Wallas. A reply was not forthcoming. I tried to contact Dr. Seeber by phone, and when I finally managed to reach her, she rendered me a verbal refusal and suggested I contact Dr. Heinz Lunzer Director of the Literaturhaus in Vienna. Da capo! When I finally reached him by phone, I received my second oral refusal.
 

Deliberate Tactic

Not providing a written reply to request
was not due to a breach of etiquette,
but rather a deliberate tactic.
There should be no record of the refusal.

 

– Herbert Kuhner

-Utter Foolishness

von am 11. Juli 2022 um 19:51
Veröffentlicht in: Allgemein, Polemics, Politics, Text

Utter Foolishness

Historian Ian Kershaw claims that Hitler’s appreciation of Wagner’s operas was more induced by the dramatic scenography of the productions he attended, rather than by the music. These productions of the Vienna Opera House consisted of visual, as well as musical extravaganzas. Indeed later Nazi rallies were staged like Wagner operas to a background music by Wagner.

Coming to the conclusion that Hitler’s love of Wagner was more visual than auditory is absurd. Obviously, he spent hours and hours listening, as well as viewing. Wagner’s music was part of this mass murderer’s makeup.Does that somehow soften his monstrous crimes? Hitler, like all mass murderers, was born on Planet Earth.In describing him, accuracy must be adhered to. His musical tastes do not in any way lessen the criminality of his actions.

– Herbert Kuhner

-Trump and DeSantis

von am 7. Juli 2022 um 18:23
Veröffentlicht in: Allgemein, Poetry, Polemics, Politics

Trump and DeSantis

 

Whatever you do
don’t get caught between
Al Capone and Bugs Moran.
In a gang war there’s no such thing
as an innocent bystander
who can survive.
It’s dog eat dog
plug or be plugged
rub out or be rubbed out.

You have a choice.
You’ve got to throw your lot in
with one or the other.
But there’s no lesser of two evils.
Both Capone and Moran think nothing
of doing children in
if necessary.

Better hurry
and make your decision
unless you want to end up in a plot
six-foot under.
It’s either Capone or Moran
and there’s no two ways about it.

Turn your fedora brim down
and your coat collar up
put on your black gloves
and with gat in shoulder holster
and chopper in violin case
go out for a night on the town.

Just light your butt
and squeeze the trigger.
Shoot first
and don’t ask questions later.
The Boss knows what he’s doing.
Keep your nose clean
and your lip buttoned
or you might find yourself
at the bottom of the Wabash.

There’s still one hope
of going straight
and leaving a life of crime behind.
After tiring of massacres
Al Capone and Bugs Moran
might get together
for a Havana and a beer

 

– Herbert Kuhner

 

 

-The Supremes

von am 26. Juni 2022 um 10:29
Veröffentlicht in: Allgemein, Polemics, Politics

Supreme Renaissance

Yes Folks the Supremes have brought about Renaissance of the Knitting Needle and the Back-Street Abortion (As our former POTUS promised. Grab them by the – – – – -!”)

Hallelujah!!

 

The Advocates

The male advocates of abortion often seem to be the gropers, molesters and rapists. The Supremes want to impose THEIR alleged morality on us, while engaging in disreputable behavior. One Supreme was an attempted rapist in young years.

Here’s a description of another:

“He spoke about acts that he had seen in pornographic films involving such matters as women having sex with animals and films showing group sex or rape scenes. He was drinking a Coke in his office, he got up from the table at which we were working, went over to his desk to get the Coke, looked at the can and asked, ‘Who has put pubic hair on my Coke?’”

Pardon me, folks! I’ve got to go out and barf.

 

Shenanigans South of the Border

This is the official image of soon-to-be St. Oscar Arnulfo Romero. Msgr. Rafael Urrutia shared the official prayer card image during a meeting with San Salvador’s archbishop and others, and someone posted it to social media. (CNS photo/Twitter via @arzobispadoss) See ROMERO-PRAYER-CARD June 26, 2018. Editor’s note: Best images available.

“While Bishop Oscar Romero lived, John Paul II reprimanded him thrice in private, once even asking him to align himself with the Salvadoran dictatorship. Romero refused, calling the request ‘unjust.’” from Jesus Our Shepherd Website.

Fingering a Saint! A Saint was cancelled out by a Saint!

And then BAM; BAM!

 

Bishop Romero’s Successors

In 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed Fernando Sáenz Lacalle, an Opus Dei member, archbishop for San Salvador. Lacalle was instrumental in having harsh anti-abortion laws established. A woman who has had abortion can be sentenced to thirty years in prison.
If a woman is brought to a hospital, and she suspected of having undergone a botched abortion, she is tied to her bed and serves as an exhibit of the crime committed.
(Sam Harris: Letter to a Christian Nation, Alfred Knopf, New York. 2006; Jack Hitt: “Pro-Life Nation,” New York Times, April 9, 2006.)

Praise for an 11-Year-Old Victim

In July of 2013 Chilean President Sebastian Pinera praised an 11-year-old rape victim who is pregnant, who stated: “It will be like having a doll in my arms.” Abortion is illegal in this country under all circumstances.

 

Child Denied Abortion

Amnesty International, April 29, 2015: Paraguay: The life of a 10-year-old girl who is pregnant after having been raped by her stepfather is in danger. The physical and psychological impact of forcing this young girl to continue with an unwanted pregnancy is tantamount to torture,” said Amnesty International’s Guadalupe Marengo  “The Paraguayan authorities cannot sit idly by while this young rape-survivor is forced to endure more agony and torment.” (They did!)
Pope Francis in the Holy City said not a word! He visited Paraguay and stayed mum!

This is what is in store for:
The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.

 

– Herbert Kuhner

 

-Shooting Up he Place

von am 1. Juni 2022 um 20:35
Veröffentlicht in: Allgemein, Polemics, Politics

Shooting Up he Place

 

The Don’s’ moniker for Corona is “Kung Flu,”
and he repeatedly refers to the “China Virus.”

Who would deny that the birthplace
of this scourge is the “People’s Republic?”

So, if you are stuck with “a sex addiction,”
and are “deeply religious” to boot,
and are having “a bad day,”
and there’s  an assault weapon at your disposal,
why not head for a massage parlor and shoot up the place?

And if you’re just mad at the world,
any location will do.

 

 

 
Spokesman for the Weapons Lobby

There have been massacres in schools,
college campuses, shopping malls, movie theaters, churches
and even in an army fort.

People must be able to protect themselves.
The only answer is arms.

Now, you are right to assert that a pistol is no match
for a man in body armor who totes an assault weapon.

What’s the answer? As Spokesman for the” Weapons” Lobby,
I say that there has to be a security guard armed with a bazooka.

 

– Herbert Kuhner