Thus Love will nevermore grow old, Thus will the minstrel ne'er be cold!"While he thus lives, in secret bless'd, Above him in the clouds doth rest An oak-wreath, verdant and sublime, Placed on his brow in after-time;While they are banish'd to the slough, Who their great master disavow.
1776.
SONNETS.
Lovingly I'll sing of love;
Ever comes she from above.
THE FRIENDLY MEETING.
IN spreading mantle to my chin conceald,I trod the rocky path, so steep and grey,Then to the wintry plain I bent my way Uneasily, to flight my bosom steel'd.
But sudden was the newborn day reveal'd:
A maiden came, in heavenly bright array,Like the fair creatures of the poet's lay In realms of song.My yearning heart was heal'd.
Yet turn'd I thence, till she had onward pass'd,While closer still the folds to draw I tried,As though with heat self-kindled to grow warm;But follow'd her.She stood.The die was cast!
No more within my mantle could I hide;
I threw it off,--she lay within mine arm.
1807-8.
IN A WORD.
THUS to be chain'd for ever, can I bear?
A very torment that, in truth, would be.
This very day my new resolve shall see.--I'll not go near the lately-worshipp'd Fair.
Yet what excuse, my heart, can I prepareIn such a case, for not consulting thee?
But courage! while our sorrows utter we In tones where love, grief, gladness have a share.
But see! the minstrel's bidding to obey,Its melody pours forth the sounding lyre,Yearning a sacrifice of love to bring.
Scarce wouldst thou think it--ready is the lay;Well, but what then? Methought in the first fireWe to her presence flew, that lay to sing.
1807?.
THE MAIDEN SPEAKS.
How grave thou loookest, loved one! wherefore so?
Thy marble image seems a type of thee;
Like it, no sign of life thou giv'st to me;Compared with thee, the stone appears to glow.
Behind his shield in ambush lurks the foe,The friend's brow all-unruffled we should see.
I seek thee, but thou seek'st away to flee;Fix'd as this sculptured figure, learn to grow!
Tell me, to which should I the preference pay?
Must I from both with coldness meet alone?
The one is lifeless, thou with life art blest.
In short, no longer to throw words away,I'll fondy kiss and kiss and kiss this stone,Till thou dost tear me hence with envious breast.
1807.
GROWTH.
O'ER field and plain, in childhood's artless days,Thou sprang'st with me, on many a spring-morn fair.
"For such a daughter, with what pleasing care, Would I, as father, happy dwellings raise!"And when thou on the world didst cast thy gaze,Thy joy was then in household toils to share.
"Why did I trust her, why she trust me e'er?
For such a sister, how I Heaven should praise!"Nothing can now the beauteous growth retard;Love's glowing flame within my breast is fann'd.
Shall I embrace her form, my grief to end?
Thee as a queen must I, alas, regard:
So high above me placed thou seem'st to stand;Before a passing look I meekly bend.
1807?.
FOOD IN TRAVEL.
IF to her eyes' bright lustre I were blind,No longer would they serve my life to gild.
The will of destiny must be fulfilid,--This knowing, I withdrew with sadden'd mind.
No further happiness I now could find:
The former longings of my heart were still'd;I sought her looks alone, whereon to build My joy in life,--all else was left behind.
Wine's genial glow, the festal banquet gay,Ease, sleep, and friends, all wonted pleasures gladI spurn'd, till little there remain'd to prove.
Now calmly through the world I wend my way:
That which I crave may everywhere be had,With me I bring the one thing needful--love.
1807?.
DEPARTURE.
WITH many a thousand kiss not yet content,At length with One kiss I was forced to go;After that bitter parting's depth of woe, I deem'd the shore from which my steps I bent,Its hills, streams, dwellings, mountains, as I went,A pledge of joy, till daylight ceased to glow;Then on my sight did blissful visions grow In the dim-lighted, distant firmament,And when at length the sea confined my gaze,My ardent longing fill'd my heart once more;What I had lost, unwillingly I sought.
Then Heaven appear'd to shed its kindly rays:
Methought that all I had possess'd of yoreRemain'd still mine--that I was reft of nought.
1807?.
THE LOVING ONE WRITES.
THE look that thy sweet eyes on mine impressThe pledge thy lips to mine convey,--the kiss,--He who, like me, hath knowledge sure of this, Can he in aught beside find happiness?
Removed from thee, friend-sever'd, in distress,These thoughts I vainly struggle to dismiss:
They still return to that one hour of bliss, The only one; then tears my grief confess.
But unawares the tear makes haste to dry:
He loves, methinks, e'en to these glades so still,--And shalt not thou to distant lands extend?
Receive the murmurs of his loving sigh;
My only joy on earth is in thy will,Thy kindly will tow'rd me; a token send!
1807?.
THE LOVING ONE ONCE MORE.
WHY do I o'er my paper once more bend?
Ask not too closely, dearest one, I prayFor, to speak truth, I've nothing now to say;Yet to thy hands at length 'twill come, dear friend.
Since I can come not with it, what I sendMy undivided heart shall now convey,With all its joys, hopes, pleasures, pains, to-day:
All this hath no beginning, hath no end.
Henceforward I may ne'er to thee confideHow, far as thought, wish, fancy, will, can reach,My faithful heart with thine is surely blended.
Thus stood I once enraptured by thy side,Gazed on thee, and said nought.What need of speech?
My very being in itself was ended.
1807?.
SHE CANNOT END.
WHEN unto thee I sent the page all white,Instead of first thereon inscribing aught,The space thou doubtless filledst up in sport.
And sent it me, to make my joy grow bright.
As soon as the blue cover met my sight,As well becomes a woman, quick as thoughtI tore it open, leaving hidden nought, And read the well-known words of pure delight:
MY ONLY BEING! DEAREST HEART! SWEET CHILD!
How kindly thou my yearning then didst stillWith gentle words, enthralling me to thee.
