The chime that warns thy guests to fly!
How glow’st thou for those lips so dear,
That soon are mute, and nought deny!
With her into the holy place
Thou hast’nest then, to perfect all;
The fire the warder’s hands embrace
Grows, like a night-light, dim and small.
How heaves her bosom, and how burns
Her face at every fervent kiss!
Her coldness now to trembling turns,
Thy daring now a duty is.
Love helps thee to undress her fast,
But thou art twice as fast as he;
And then he shuts both eyes at last
With sly and roguish modesty.
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MISCHIEVOUS JOY.
AS a butterfly renew’d,
When in life I breath’d my last,
To the spots my flight I wing,
Scenes of heav’nly rapture past,
Over meadows, to the spring,
Round the hill, and through the wood.
Soon a tender pair I spy,
And I look down from my seat
On the beauteous maiden’s head —
When embodied there I meet
All I lost as soon as dead —
Happy as before am I.
Him she clasps with silent smile,
And his mouth the hour improves,
Sent by kindly Deities;
First from breast to mouth it roves,
Then from mouth to hands it flies,
And I round him sport the while.
And she sees me hov’ring near;
Trembling at her lover’s rapture,
Up she springs — I fly away.
“Dearest! let’s the insect capture!
Come! I long to make my prey
Yonder pretty little dear!”
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FAREWELL.
O break one’s word is pleasure-fraught,
To do one’s duty gives a smart;
While man, alas! will promise nought,
That is repugnant to his heart.
Using some magic strains of yore,
Thou lurest him, when scarcely calm,
On to sweet folly’s fragile bark once more,
Renewing, doubling chance of harm.
Why seek to hide thyself from me?
Fly not my sight — be open then!
Known late or early it must be,
And here thou hast thy word again.
My duty is fulfill’d to-day,
No longer will I guard thee from surprise;
But, oh, forgive the friend who from thee turns away,
And to himself for refuge flies!
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THE EXCHANGE.
THE stones in the streamlet I make my bright pillow,
And open my arms to the swift-rolling billow,
That lovingly hastens to fall on my breast.
Then fickleness soon bids it onward be flowing;
A second draws nigh, its caresses bestowing, —
And so by a twofold enjoyment I’m bless’d.
And yet thou art trailing in sorrow and sadness
The moments that life, as it flies, gave for gladness,
Because by thy love thou’rt remember’d no more!
Oh, call back to mind former days and their blisses!
The lips of the second will give as sweet kisses
As any the lips of the first gave before!
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NOVEMBER SONG.
TO the great archer — not to him
To meet whom flies the sun,
And who is wont his features dim
With clouds to overrun —
But to the boy be vow’d these rhymes,
Who ‘mongst the roses plays,
Who hears us, and at proper times
To pierce fair hearts essays.
Through him the gloomy winter night,
Of yore so cold and drear,
Brings many a lov’d friend to our sight,
And many a woman dear.
Henceforward shall his image fair
Stand in yon starry skies,
And, ever mild and gracious there,
Alternate set and rise.
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TO THE CHOSEN ONE.
HAND in hand! and lip to lip:
Oh, be faithful, maiden dear!
Fare thee well! thy lover’s ship
Past full many a rock must steer;
But should he the haven see,
When the storm has ceas’d to break,
And be happy, reft of thee, —
May the Gods fierce vengeance take!
Boldly dar’d is well nigh won!
Half my task is solv’d aright;
Ev’ry star’s to me a sun,
Only cowards deem it night.
Stood I idly by thy side,
Sorrow still would sadden me;
But when seas our paths divide,
Gladly toil I, — toil for thee!
Now the valley I perceive,
Where together we will go,
And the streamlet watch each eve,
Gliding peacefully below.
Oh, the poplars on yon spot!
Oh, the beech trees in yon grove!
And behind we’ll build a cot,
Where to taste the joys of love!
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FIRST LOSS.
AH! who’ll e’er those days restore,
Those bright days of early love!
Who’ll one hour again concede,
Of that time so fondly cherish’d!
Silently my wounds I feed,
And with wailing evermore
Sorrow o’er each joy now perish’d.
Ah! who’ll e’er the days restore
Of that time so fondly cherish’d!
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AFTER-SENSATIONS.
WHEN the vine again is blowing,
Then the wine moves in the cask;
When the rose again is glowing,
Wherefore should I feel oppress’d?
Down my cheeks run tears all-burning,
If I do, or leave my task;
I but feel a speechless yearning,
That pervades my inmost breast.
But at length I see the reason,
When the question I would ask:
’Twas in such a beauteous season,
Doris glow’d to make me bless’d!
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PROXIMITY OF THE BELOVED ONE.
I THINK of thee, whene’er the sun his beams
O’er ocean flings;
I think of thee, whene’er the moonlight gleams
In silv’ry springs.
I see thee, when upon the distant ridge
The dust awakes;
At midnight’s hour, when on the fragile bridge
The wand’rer quakes.
I hear thee, when yon billows rise on high,
With murmur deep.
To tread the silent grove oft wander I,
When all’s asleep.
I’m near thee, though thou far away may’st be:
Thou, too, art near!
The sun then sets, the stars soon lighten me.
Would thou wert here!
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PRESENCE.
ALL things give token of thee!
As soon as the bright sun is shining,
Thou too wilt follow, I trust.
When in the garden thou walkest,
Thou then art the rose of all roses,
Lily of lilies as well.
When thou dost move in the dance,
Then each constellation moves also;
With thee and round thee they move.
Night! oh, what bliss were the night!
For then thou o’ershadow’st the lustre,
Dazzling and fair, of the moon.
Dazzling and beauteous art thou,
And flowers, and moon and the planets
Homage pay, Sun, but to thee.
Sun! to me also be thou
Creator of days bright and glorious;
Life and Eternity this!
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TO THE DISTANT ONE.
AND have I lost thee evermore?
Hast thou, O fair one, from me flown?
Still in mine ear sounds, as of yore,
Thine ev’ry word, thine ev’ry tone.
As when at morn the wand’rer’s eye
Attempts to pierce the air in vain,
When, hidden in the azure sky,
The lark high o’er him chants his strain:
So do I cast my troubl’d gaze
Through bush, through forest, o’er the lea;
Thou art invok’d by all my lays;
Oh, come then, lov’d one, back to me!
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BY THE RIVER.
FLOW on, ye lays so lov’d, so fair,
On to Oblivion’s ocean flow!
May no rapt boy recall you e’er,
No maiden in her beauty’s glow!
My love alone was then your theme,
But now she scorns my passion true.
Ye were but written in the stream;
As it flows on, then, flow ye too!
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NIGHT SONG.
WHEN on thy pillow lying,
Half listen, I implore,
And at my lute’s soft sighing,
Sleep on! what would’st thou more?
For at my lute’s soft sighing
The stars their blessings pour
On feelings never-dying;
Sleep on! what would’st thou more?
Those feelings never-dying
My spirit aid to soar
From earthly conflicts trying;
Sleep on! what would’st thou more?
From earthly conflicts trying
Thou driv’st me to this shore;
Through thee I’m hither flying, —
Sleep on! what would’st thou more?
Through thee I’m hither flying,
Thou wilt not list before
In slumbers thou art lying:
Sleep on! what would’st thou more?
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CALM AT SEA.
SILENCE deep rules o’er the waters,
Calmly slumb’ring lies the main,
While the sailor views with trouble
Nought but one vast level plain.
Not a zephyr is in motion!
Silence fearful as the grave!
In the mighty waste of ocean
Sunk to rest is ev’ry wave.
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THE PROSPEROUS VOYAGE.
DISPELL’D are the vapors,
And radiant is heaven,
Whilst Æolus loosens
Our anguish-fraught bond;
The zephyrs are sighing,
Alert is the sailor.
Quick! nimbly be plying!
The billows are riven,
The distance approaches;
I see land beyond!
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COURAGE.
CARELESSLY over the plain away,
Where by the boldest man no path
Cut before thee thou canst discern,
Make for thyself a path!
Silence, lov’d one, my heart!
Cracking, let it not break!
Breaking, break not with thee!
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ADMONITION.
WHEREFORE ever ramble on?
For the Good is lying near.
Fortune learn to seize alone,
For that Fortune’s ever here.
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WELCOME AND FAREWELL.
QUICK throbb’d my heart: to horse! haste, haste!
And lo! ’twas done with speed of light;
The evening soon the world embrac’d,
And o’er the mountains hung the night.
Soon stood, in robe of mist, the oak,
A tow’ring giant in his size,
Where darkness through the thicket broke,
And glar’d with hundred gloomy eyes.
From out a hill of clouds the moon
With mournful gaze began to peer:
The winds their soft wings flutter’d soon,
And murmur’d in mine awe-struck ear;
The night a thousand monsters made,
Yet fresh and joyous was my mind;
What fire within my veins then play’d!
What glow was in my bosom shrin’d!
I saw thee, and with tender pride
Felt thy sweet gaze pour joy on me;
While all my heart was at thy side,
And ev’ry breath I breath’d for thee.
The roseate hues that Spring supplies
Were playing round thy features fair,
And love for me — ye Deities!
I hope it, I deserv’d it ne’er!
But when the morning sun return’d,
Departure fill’d with grief my heart:
Within thy kiss, what rapture burn’d!
But in thy look, what bitter smart!
I went — thy gaze to earth first rov’d —
Thou follo’dst me with tearful eye:
And yet, what rapture to be lov’d!
And, gods, to love — what ecstasy!
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NEW LOVE, NEW LIFE.
HEART! my heart! what means this feeling?
What oppresseth thee so sore?
What strange life is o’er me stealing!
I acknowledge thee no more.
Fled is all that gave thee gladness,
Fled the cause of all thy sadness,
Fled thy peace, thine industry —
Ah, why suffer it to be?
Say, do beauty’s graces youthful,
Does this form so fair and bright,
Does this gaze, so kind, so truthful,
Chain thee with unceasing might?
Would I tear me from her boldly,
Courage take, and fly her coldly,
Back to her I’m forthwith led
By the path I seek to tread.
By a thread I ne’er can sever,
For ’tis ‘twin’d with magic skill,
Doth the cruel maid forever
Hold me fast against my will.
While those magic chains confine me,
To her will I must resign me.
Ah, the change in truth is great!
Love! kind love! release me straight!
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TO BELINDA.
WHEREFORE drag me to yon glitt’ring eddy,
With resistless might?
Was I, then, not truly bless’d alread
y
In the silent night?
In my secret chamber refuge taking,
‘Neath the moon’s soft ray,
And her awful light around me breaking,
Musing there I lay.
And I dream’d of hours with joy o’erflowing,
Golden, truly bless’d,
While thine image so belov’d was glowing
Deep within my breast.
Now to the card-table hast thou bound me,
‘Midst the torches’ glare?
Whilst unhappy faces are around me,
Dost thou hold me there?
Spring-flowers are to me more rapture-giving,
Now conceal’d from view;
Where thou, angel, art, is Nature living,
Love and kindness too.
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MAY SONG.
HOW fair doth Nature
Appear again!
How bright the sunbeams!
How smiles the plain!
The flowers are bursting
From ev’ry bough,
And thousand voices
Each bush yields now.
And joy and gladness
Fill ev’ry breast:
O earth! — O sunlight!
Oh, rapture bless’d!
O love! O lov’d one!
As golden bright,
As clouds of morning
On yonder height!
Thou blessest gladly
The smiling field, —
The world in fragrant
Vapor conceal’d.
Oh, maiden, maiden,
How love I thee!
Thine eye, how gleams it!
How lov’st thou me!
The blithe lark loveth
Sweet song and air,
The morning floweret
Heav’n’s incense fair,
As I now love thee
With fond desire,
For thou dost give me
Youth, joy and fire,
For new-born dances
And minstrelsy.
Be ever happy,
As thou lov’st me!
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WITH A PAINTED RIBBON.
LITTLE leaves and flow’rets too,
Scatter we with gentle hand,
Kind young spring-gods to the view,
Sporting on an airy band.
Zephyr, bear it on thy wing,
Twine it round my lov’d one’s dress;
To her glass then let her spring,
Full of eager joyousness.
Roses round her let her see,
She herself a youthful rose.
Grant, dear life, one look to me!
‘Twill repay me all my woes.
What this bosom feels, feel thou,
Freely offer me thy hand;
Let the band that joins us now
Works of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Page 263