My Grine Katchke paintings inspired by Di Grine Katshke, The Green Duck, poem
30cm x 30cm Acrylic on Canvas
Di Grine Katshke was written in Yiddish by artist & writer Zuni Maud in 1928 in NYC
TRANSLITERATION
Katshke grin, breyte noz
un keyner veyst nisht vos iz dos.
Geyt arum a grine katshke,
geyt arum un trakht.
volt zi davenen shakhris
falt shoyn tsu di nakht.
Katshke grin, breyte noz
un keyner veyst nisht vos iz dos.
Geyt arum a grine katshke
geyt arum un kayt.
Volt zi brokn lokshn
hot zi nit keyn tsayt.
Katshke grin, breyte noz
un keyner veyst nisht vos iz dos.
Geyt arum a grine katshke
mit a breyter noz.
Volt zi shmekn tabak
hot zi nisht mit vos.
Kashke grin, breyte noz
un keyner veyst nisht vos iz dos.
TRANSLATION
Green duck, wide nose,
and no one knows what this is.
A green duck wanders,
wanders and thinks:
She would pray the morning prayers
but night has just fallen.
Green duck, wide nose,
and no one knows what this is.
A green duck wanders,
wanders and chews.
She would cut up the noodles,
but she doesn’t have the time.
Green duck, wide nose,
and no one knows what this is.
A green duck wanders,
with a wide nose.
She would smell tobacco,
but she doesn’t have with what.
Green duck, wide nose,
and no one knows what this is.