Ah, could I thither travel, And ease my aching breast, And all my grief unravel, And there be free and blest!
That land, whence care and trouble Are banish’d, that in dreams Oft see I, like a bubble Dissolves, when morning beams.
I’ve loved thee long, and I love thee still And e’en if the world were shatter’d, My glowing love would glisten and thrill, Though widely earth’s ruins were scatter’d.
And when I thus have loved thee so well Till the hour of death has sounded, I’ll take with me e’en to my tomb’s dark cell My love-pangs fierce and unbounded.
In the glimmering summer morning I pace the garden alone; The flowers are whisp’ring and speaking, But silently wander I on.
The flowers are whisp’ring and speaking, My form with compassion they scan: O pray be kind to our sister, Thou mournful and pale-faced man!
Her dark attire thus wearing My love appears to my sight Like a tale of sorrow despairing That’s told in the long summer night:
“In the magical garden there wander “Two lovers mute and alone; “Sweet sing the nightingales yonder, “The moonbeams are over them thrown.
“Like a statue the maiden stands mildly, “At her feet the faithful knight lies; “The forest giant comes wildly, “The sorrowing maiden soon flies.
“Soon the knight on the ground lies all gory, “The giant goes home at his ease--” And when I am buried, the story Is ended as soon as you please.
They often have vex’d me sadly And worried me early and late; While some with their love have annoy’d me, The others pursued me with hate.
My bread they have utterly poison’d, And poison’d my cup too of late; While some with their love have annoy’d me, The others pursued me with hate.
But she who more than all others Has vex’d me, and worried, and chafed, She only with hate ne’er pursued me, She only her love ne’er vouchsafed.
There lies the glow of summer Upon thy cheek confess’d, And in thine heart cold winter Has made its place of rest.
All this will soon be alter’d, My dearest love and best, The winter on thy cheek be, The summer in thy breast!
When two fond lovers are parted, They give each other the hand, To weep and to sigh beginning, And losing all self-command.
But not one single tear wept we, No Ah! or Alas! did we sigh; Our tears and our sighs both together Too surely came by-and-by.