Gurgling Stream [REVISED]

Knowing the little alien in my head was filled
with discontent went to French class prepared
full well with a treat for it, Offenbach played on
an earphone in only the left ear

Heavenly music accompanied Christophe
discussing Greece and its woes, a lack of
working tax system, no economic acumen,
credit obtained on false pretexts

Music filling the large, empty spaces opening
in my head; taking copious notes with Olympia*
singing vocal Olympics on my left, the right side
following a stentorious lecture on NATO

Its origin and members, the Euro and Schengen,
Italy, Berlusconi – Italians are so much better at
opera than politics – Swiss discipline – they are
not romantic at all, to their credit

All runs like clockwork, Swiss life resembles a
regulated spell in hell, Lady Jane Digby ran from
the life of a Hausfrau, abandoning kids rather
than stay in the land of Wilhelm Tell

Benelux, OTAN, Monténégro, reasons why La Turqui
cannot join the UE if La Serbie is a member also – what
fun, how nice - Clic-clac, cric-crac, voilà Klein-Zack! –
the little alien in my head heard on the left

Followed every word said as the choir sang lustily,
keeping brain waves on an even keel, creating
inner peace on which the French class flowed like
a gurgling stream….


[ORIGINAL]

Went to French class full well knowing the
little alien in my head filled with discontent
but I had prepared a treat for it, Offenbach,
an earphone on the left ear only

Heavenly music accompanying Christophe
discussing Greece and its woes, the lack of
a working tax system, no economic acumen,
obtaining credit on false pretexts

Music filling the large, empty spaces opening
in my head; industriously taking copious notes
with Olympia* doing vocal Olympics on my left,
right side following a lecture on NATO



Origin and members, euro and Schengen, Italy,
Berlusconi – Italians do so much better in opera
than politics - Swiss discipline – the Swiss are
not romantic at all, to the contrary

All runs like clockwork, a regulated Swiss life re-
sembles a spell in hell, Lady Jane Digby ran from
the life of a Hausfrau, abandoning kids rather than
stay in the country of Wilhelm Tell

Benelux, OTAN, Monténégro, reasons why La Turqui
cannot join the UE if La Serbie a member also – what
fun, how nice - Clic-clac, cric-crac, voilà Klein-Zack! –
the little alien in my head heard on the left


I followed every word that was said as the choir sang
lustily, keeping brain waves on an even keel, creating
inner peace on which the French class flowed like a
rippling, gurgling stream…


Olympia*: Doll in “Les Contes d’Hoffman - Jacques Offenbach

Song: "Les Oiseaux Dans la Charmille".

Les oiseaux dans la charmille
Dans les cieux l'astre du jour,
Tout parle à la jeune fille d'amour!
Ah! Voilà la chanson gentille
La chanson d'Olympia! Ah!
Tout ce qui chante et résonne
Et soupire, tour à tour,
Emeut son coeur qui frissonne d'amour!
Ah! Voilà la chanson mignonne
La chanson d'Olympia! Ah!

[First photo: DIRCO Foyer, Oliver Tambo Building,
Soutpansberg Street, Pretoria, where we attend
language classes]