Gezellle's Letters: College of Saint Louis Letters in Image & Sound

Letter of Pieter Baes to Guido Gezelle

Pieter Baes intended to return the handwritten poem on the occasion of Ivo Stragier’s first mass, but was unable to do so. Stragier will send Gezelle two copies. No news from Winkler. Gezelle must have received Rond den Heerd 1886 nr. 2. Would Beyaert appreciate it or not to get rid of the West-Vlaamsch Idioticon (West-Flemish Idioticon) with a compensation for his printing costs?

Pieter Baes

Elverdinge 29.04.1848 - Izegem 21.07.1907

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Read the letter Izegem November, 30th 1887

Niet zwart, niet wild, niet woest genoeg

Not Black, Not Wild, Not Fierce Enough

Niet zwart, niet wild, niet woest genoeg,
om u doen af te wijken,
en was 't Mogolsch, het Moorenland,
noch 't midden van Afriken!

Waar menschen, waar Gods kinderen zijn,
waar zielen vrij te kampen,
daar vliegt uw hert, uw' schreden vóór,
door lijf- en levensrampen.

Gods kind zijt gij, Gods Priester, en
Gods zendeling: vaart henen;
en, waar gij landt, zij licht met u,
zij levend licht verschenen!

Dan, mag de kroon der Martelaars
uw reikend hand niet halen,
toch eeuwig zult ge, in 't sterrenheer,
als Leeraar zegepralen!

God zeide 't, en die 't al verliet
om God, zal, Gods beloven
betrouwende, spijts al dat viel,
onvelbaar blijven boven.

Guido Gezelle

[nonpoetic translation]

Not black, not wild, not fierce enough,
the Mogul was , nor Moorland,
nor the midst of Afrika
to take you off the road !

where people, where God’s children are,
where souls do fight for freedom,
there you heart, before your feet
Through risk and peril flies
God’s child you are, God’s priest,
God’s missionary, set off;
and wherever you land, may light,
may living light shine on you

Then, even if your reaching hand
misses the Martyr’s crown,
still as teacher you will have
earned in eternity great renown

God so promised, and he who left it all
for God, will, trusting God’s word,
despite all that fell around him
unfellable stay above

Ivo Stragier

Ivo Stragier became a CICM missionary. He was ordained priest in 1887. On September 17th, 1888 he set sail for the south-west of Mongolia for his first mission. He died in Kuei-Hua-Ch'eng on April 2nd, 1928.

Johan Winkler

Johan Winkler was a good friend of Guido Gezelle from Friesland. He was passionate about language and dialect, especially the Frisian language. He also had contact with various people from Gezelle's entourage, such as Pieter Baes.

(Photo, Wikimedia)