The Poems of Goethe Part 24

1776,*

----- TO THE MOON.

BUSH and vale thou fill'st again

With thy misty ray, And my spirit's heavy chain

Castest far away.

Thou dost o'er my fields extend

Thy sweet soothing eye, Watching like a gentle friend,

O'er my destiny.

Vanish'd days of bliss and woe

Haunt me with their tone, Joy and grief in turns I know,

As I stray alone.

Stream beloved, flow on! flow on!

Ne'er can I be gay!

Thus have sport and kisses gone,

Truth thus pa.s.s'd away.

Once I seem'd the lord to be

Of that prize so fair!

Now, to our deep sorrow, we

Can forget it ne'er.

Murmur, stream, the vale along,

Never cease thy sighs; Murmur, whisper to my song

Answering melodies!

When thou in the winter's night

Overflow'st in wrath, Or in spring-time sparklest bright,

As the buds shoot forth.

He who from the world retires,

Void of hate, is blest; Who a friend's true love inspires,

Leaning on his breast!

That which heedless man ne'er knew,

Or ne'er thought aright, Roams the bosom's labyrinth through,

Boldly into night.

1789.*

----- TO LINA.

SHOULD these songs, love, as they fleet,

Chance again to reach thy hand, At the piano take thy seat,

Where thy friend was wont to stand!

Sweep with finger bold the string,

Then the book one moment see: But read not! do nought but sing!

And each page thine own will be!

Ah, what grief the song imparts

With its letters, black on white, That, when breath'd by thee, our hearts

Now can break and now delight!

1800.*

----- EVER AND EVERYWHERE.

FAR explore the mountain hollow, High in air the clouds then follow!

To each brook and vale the Muse

Thousand times her call renews.

Soon as a flow'ret blooms in spring, It wakens many a strain;

And when Time spreads his fleeting wing,

The seasons come again.

1820.*

----- PEt.i.tION.

OH thou sweet maiden fair, Thou with the raven hair,