Letter of Pieter Baes to Guido Gezelle
Pieter Baes returns the poems O Konings afgezant (O, King’s Emissary) for improvement. Gezelle had written the verses at Baes’s request on the occasion of Baron Albert Ruzette’s visit of the Institute of Saint-Joseph in Izegem on Monday the 26th July 1886.
Have a look at all the photos
Baron Ruzette
Baron Albert Ruzette, governor of West Flanders, visited the College of Saint Joseph in Izegem on Monday July, 26th 1886. At the request of Pieter Baes, Guido Gezelle wrote an occasional poem o Konings afgezant ( o King's Emissary). The poem was read aloud by a student.
Baron Ruzette
o Konings afgezant,
die heel West-Vlanderland
bestiert, naar recht en wetten;
die zoo vele eere ons doet
van uwen Riddervoet
in onze school te zetten;
U zij, vol dankbaarheid,
een enkel woord gezeid:
believe 't U te weten,
al zijn wij jong en kleen,
dat uw bezoek geen een
van ons en zal vergeten!
Gij zult geschreven staan
in ons gedacht voortaan,
en “moge God U sparen,”
't is 't geen de kinderstem
der school van Iseghem
U wenscht: “nog lange jaren!
Guido Gezelle
[nonpoetic translation]
O, King’s Emissary,
who all of West-Flanders governs
according to justice and law,
who now gives us the honour
of seeing your knightly foot
be set within our school.
So, may a single word
of gratitude be said :
please do lend us your ears,
though we are young and little
by none of us your visit
will henceforth be forgotten!
From now on you are written
In the memory of us all.
And “May the good God bless you
many days from now”
that’s what of Iseghem’s school
the children’s voices wish you
Guido Gezelle
