Violet

The color was rose-red
then blue came along and cried
viola viola violeta.
violet was lovely but only in the sky.
completely simply this color was
lovely you violet.
The cry of violet colors.

Translated by Gary Sullivan.

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Violett

Die Farbe war rosarot
da kam blau dazu und rief
voila voila violetta.
violett war schön doch nur am Himmel.
ganz einfach diese Farbe war
schön du violett.
Der Ruf der Farben violett.

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Notes

The German word "Ruf" can mean anything from "call," "cry," "shout," or "whoop," to "reputation," "fame," and "renown." In my first draft I had "woof," which I later changed to "rep." My feeling now, given the use of the related "rief" ("cry" or "call") in the second line, is to go with "cry."