The Telephone.

The telephone rings every day
and I already know
the lyrics.

Brring rings the telephone and
                    it was over
for the reverie.

Translated by Gary Sullivan.

* * *

Das Telephon.

Tags ging das Telephon
und ich wußste schon,
den Text dazu.

Klings, ging das Telephon und
                    es war vorbei
mit der Träumerei.

* * *

Notes

The first two lines of this poem, "Tags ging das Telephon/ und ich wußste schon," are a slight rewording (e.g., "Tags" for "Nacht") of lines from an old German song, Nacht ging das Telefon:



So, it's sort of a joke when Herbeck writes "I already know the lyrics." (In the original song it's something like "I already know who's calling.")