Yes, Mark, Moerder Guss Reims is the German sequel to Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames - complete with the "learned" annotations. I'm delighted to find another fan of these brilliant books ! They were written by John Hulme who worked as an interpreter in the Royal Air Force.

Here's a good one:

Dick Wien (1) auf Harz, sie meid' samt Arzt

Orlon ass, um er steh. (2)

Der Neffe Fahrt sehr stolz (3); sie tat's

Und Tuch dem Reiterweh. (4)

Footnotes:

(1) The Viennese are noted for their love of good food and they tend to put on weight as a result. (2) The poet advises the fat people of Vienna to eat resin in order to avoid the doctor and Orlon in order to remain upright. (3) "The nephew is very proud on the journey." He was probably ashamed to be seen out with them before, even assuming that they could get into his car. (4)"She put a cloth in the car so they would not suffer from rider's pain." The delicacy of this line conceals a reference to an ailment to which so many who lead a sedentary life and eat all too well are martyrs.

Another of my favourites is the line from "Goosey, Goosey Gander" : "Who wouldn't say his prayers", which is "translated" as "Hu ! Bodensee Express".

- jeanie