Thursday 30 September 2010

And There Goes September
One Last Glimpse, From Alsergrund's Strudlhof Steps

Autumn in Vienna
There are many beautiful places
I love to visit during autumn in Vienna,
but for me none exert greater allure
than the Strudlhof Steps.

When late summer
turns into early fall,
I feel the urge to walk down those steps,
listen to the leaves' gentle rustling,
breath in the essence of life,
the last greeting from summer's gentle heat,
a promise of golden days still ahead.

So I walk along the lane
which leads to the upper landing
and as I begin my descent,
wistful step by wistful step,
I begin to feel a sense of peace and belonging.

At the lower landing of the steps,
I pause, to read this poem,
carved in stone:

On the Strudlhof Steps in Vienna

When the leaves upon the steps are lying
from the old stairs is heard an autumn sighing
of all that's gone across them in the past
A moon in which a couple, holding fast,
embraces, lightweight shoes and heavy footfall
the mossed urn in the middle, by the wall,
outlasts the year between the wars and dying.

So much is past and gone, to our dismay,
And beauty shows the frailest power to stay.


Poem by Heimito von Doderer,
from his novel, "The Strudlhof Steps"
tranlated by Vincent Kling.

*

Own text and images
Copyright by Merisi


9 comments:

  1. Dear readers,
    I bring you this image - postcard - from my yearly fall pilgrimage to the Strudlhof Steps, in a larger file than usual, as a little gift of thanks for being such great support through the years. Last Sunday, the 250,000th visitor arrived and I didn't even realize until it was too late to see where he or she had come from. I like to think that it was you or you or you, really all of you who visit and leave those wonderful comments that have given me so much encouragement through the years. I owe you more than you may ever imagine and my heart fills with gratitude when I think of you. Thank you, you and you and you, ally of you, from the bottom of my heart.

    The picture enlarges when clicked upon.

    Thank you,
    Merisi


    (I have published my own thoughts about the Strudlhof Steps before - you may find the post by clicking on the label/s.)

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  2. It's so beautiful ! I like very much this text upon the Automn in Vienna !!!
    See you soon!

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  3. Isn't autumn light beautiful?
    Clear and soft all at the same time.
    Here's to another 250,000 visitors!

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  4. Do they serve affel strudel at Strudelhof?
    If not, I think they should, since it instantly comes to mind for some of us idiots...
    I'll have cherry please.

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  5. Congratulations on reaching such an important milestone. Beautiful photo, as always. I like the warm autumn light (though right now here it is gray rather than golden).

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  6. Merisi, congratulation for all this time. It´s a pleasure to admire your snaps!!! Love them!!!

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  7. While the close of September image is such a lovely scene, the words placed beneath also so very lovely, your own words and how eloquently you speak is always a brighter day for me, when I am able to get on this silly machine and look to see your entries and enjoy what offerings you share. The thanks goes to you for sharing your world with us in a way that draws others in~

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  8. An astonishingly beautiful photo M.

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  9. A picture-perfect postcard, indeed, Merisi, as only you could capture it. It looks like a beautiful painting ...

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