Howard F. Stein’s most recent poem to appear here was “Triptych” (January 2018).
Prize Song, After Wagner
after Richard Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
By Howard F. Stein
I pay my entry fee
for the song contest,
and sing the prize song.
So much is at stake—
to have desire at last
met by desire.
Mine is the wrong song;
I am no Heldentenor.
Eva is won by another.
Hope reached out again
into the void.
I cling to my song,
hum it softly to myself,
and walk away,
in meinem Himmel,*
in meinem Lieben,
in meinem Lied
*Gustav Mahler, Rückert Lieder, “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.”
Translation: In my heaven, / In my love, / in my song.
