Ditty against translation

[marnanel]

Something I wrote this morning, somewhat after Walter de la Mare.
(crossposted to Linguaphiles) (and it reached metaquotes) (and has started to wander elsewhere)

Ah, would I were a German!
I'd trouble my translator
With nouns the size of Hamburg
And leave the verb till later.

And if I were a Welshman
My work would thwart translation
With ninety novel plurals
In strict alliteration.

And would I were Chinese!
I'd throw them off their course
With twelve unusual symbols
All homophones of "horse".

But as it is, I'm English:
And I'm the one in hell
By writing in a language
Impossible to spell.

Comments

[lnr]

I like it!