The Works of Frederick Schiller Part 465

Laura, see how joyousness embraces E'en the overflow of sorrows wild!

How e'en rigid desperation kindles On the loving breast of Hope so mild.

Sisterly and blissful rapture softens Gloomy Melancholy's fearful night, And, deliver'd of its golden children, Lo, the eye pours forth its radiance bright!

Does not awful Sympathy rule over E'en the realms that Evil calls its own?

For 'tis h.e.l.l our crimes are ever wooing, While they bear a grudge 'gainst Heaven alone!

Shame, Repentance, pair Eumenides-like, Weave round sin their fearful serpent-coils: While around the eagle-wings of Greatness Treach'rous danger winds its dreaded toils.

Ruin oft with Pride is wont to trifle, Envy upon Fortune loves to cling; On her brother, Death, with arms extended, l.u.s.t, his sister, oft is wont to spring.

On the wings of Love the future hastens In the arms of ages past to lie; And Saturnus, as he onward speeds him, Long hath sought his bride--Eternity!

Soon Saturnus will his bride discover,-- So the mighty oracle hath said; Blazing worlds will turn to marriage torches When Eternity with Time shall wed!

Then a fairer, far more beauteous morning, Laura, on our love shall also shine, Long as their blest bridal-night enduring:-- So rejoice thee, Laura--Laura mine!

TO LAURA AT THE HARPSICHORD.

When o'er the chords thy fingers stray, My spirit leaves its mortal clay, A statue there I stand; Thy spell controls e'en life and death, As when the nerves a living breath Receive by Love's command! [1]

More gently zephyr sighs along To listen to thy magic song; The systems formed by heavenly love To sing forever as they move, Pause in their endless-whirling round To catch the rapture-teeming sound; 'Tis for thy strains they worship thee,-- Thy look, enchantress, fetters me!

From yonder chords fast-thronging come Soul-breathing notes with rapturous speed, As when from out their heavenly home The new-born seraphim proceed; The strains pour forth their magic might, As glittering suns burst through the night, When, by Creation's storm awoke, From chaos' giant-arm they broke.

Now sweet, as when the silv'ry wave Delights the pebbly beach to lave; And now majestic as the sound Of rolling thunder gathering round; Now pealing more loudly, as when from yon height Descends the mad mountain-stream, foaming and bright; Now in a song of love Dying away, As through the aspen grove Soft zephyrs play: Now heavier and more mournful seems the strain, As when across the desert, death-like plain, Whence whispers dread and yells despairing rise, Cocytus' sluggish, wailing current sighs.

Maiden fair, oh, answer me!

Are not spirits leagued with thee?

Speak they in the realms of bliss Other language e'er than this?

GROUP FROM TARTARUS.

Hark! like the sea in wrath the heavens a.s.sailing, Or like a brook through rocky basin wailing, Comes from below, in groaning agony, A heavy, vacant torment-breathing sigh!

Their faces marks of bitter torture wear, While from their lips burst curses of despair; Their eyes are hollow, and full of woe, And their looks with heartfelt anguish Seek Cocytus' stream that runs wailing below, For the bridge o'er its waters they languish.

And they say to each other in accents of fear, "Oh, when will the time of fulfilment appear?"

High over them boundless eternity quivers, And the scythe of Saturnus all-ruthlessly, shivers!

RAPTURE--TO LAURA.

From earth I seem to wing my flight, And sun myself in Heaven's pure light, When thy sweet gaze meets mine I dream I quaff ethereal dew, When my own form I mirrored view In those blue eyes divine!

Blest notes from Paradise afar, Or strains from some benignant star Enchant my ravished ear: My Muse feels then the shepherd's hour When silvery tones of magic power Escape those lips so dear!

Young Loves around thee fan their wings-- Behind, the maddened fir-tree springs, As when by Orpheus fired: The poles whirl round with swifter motion, When in the dance, like waves o'er Ocean, Thy footsteps float untired!

Thy look, if it but beam with love, Could make the lifeless marble move, And hearts in rocks enshrine: My visions to reality Will turn, if, Laura, in thine eye I read--that thou art mine!

TO LAURA. (THE MYSTERY OF REMINISCENCE.) [2]

Who and what gave to me the wish to woo thee-- Still, lip to lip, to cling for aye unto thee?

Who made thy glances to my soul the link-- Who bade me burn thy very breath to drink-- My life in thine to sink?

As from the conqueror's unresisted glaive, Flies, without strife subdued, the ready slave-- So, when to life's unguarded fort, I see Thy gaze draw near and near triumphantly-- Yields not my soul to thee?

Why from its lord doth thus my soul depart?-- Is it because its native home thou art?

Or were they brothers in the days of yore, Twin-bound both souls, and in the link they bore Sigh to be bound once more?

Were once our beings blent and intertwining, And therefore still my heart for thine is pining?

Knew we the light of some extinguished sun-- The joys remote of some bright realm undone, Where once our souls were ONE?

Yes, it is so!--And thou wert bound to me In the long-vanish'd Eld eternally!

In the dark troubled tablets which enroll The Past--my Muse beheld this blessed scroll-- "One with thy love my soul!"

Oh yes, I learned in awe, when gazing there, How once one bright inseparate life we were, How once, one glorious essence as a G.o.d, Unmeasured s.p.a.ce our chainless footsteps trod-- All Nature our abode!

Round us, in waters of delight, forever Voluptuous flowed the heavenly Nectar river; We were the master of the seal of things, And where the sunshine bathed Truth's mountain-springs Quivered our glancing wings.

Weep for the G.o.dlike life we lost afar-- Weep!--thou and I its scattered fragments are; And still the unconquered yearning we retain-- Sigh to restore the rapture and the reign, And grow divine again.

And therefore came to me the wish to woo thee-- Still, lip to lip, to cling for aye unto thee; This made thy glances to my soul the link-- This made me burn thy very breath to drink-- My life in thine to sink; And therefore, as before the conqueror's glaive, Flies, without strife subdued, the ready slave, So, when to life's unguarded fort, I see Thy gaze draw near and near triumphantly-- Yieldeth my soul to thee!

Therefore my soul doth from its lord depart, Because, beloved, its native home thou art; Because the twins recall the links they bore, And soul with soul, in the sweet kiss of yore, Meets and unites once more!

Thou, too--Ah, there thy gaze upon me dwells, And thy young blush the tender answer tells; Yes! with the dear relation still we thrill, Both lives--though exiles from the homeward hill-- One life--all glowing still!

MELANCHOLY--TO LAURA.

Laura! a sunrise seems to break Where'er thy happy looks may glow.

Joy sheds its roses o'er thy cheek, Thy tears themselves do but bespeak The rapture whence they flow; Blest youth to whom those tears are given-- The tears that change his earth to heaven; His best reward those melting eyes-- For him new suns are in the skies!

Thy soul--a crystal river pa.s.sing, Silver-clear, and sunbeam-gla.s.sing, Mays into bloom sad Autumn by thee; Night and desert, if they spy thee, To gardens laugh--with daylight shine, Lit by those happy smiles of thine!

Dark with cloud the future far Goldens itself beneath thy star.

Smilest thou to see the harmony Of charm the laws of Nature keep?

Alas! to me the harmony Brings only cause to weep!

Holds not Hades its domain Underneath this earth of ours?

Under palace, under fame, Underneath the cloud-capped towers?

Stately cities soar and spread O'er your mouldering bones, ye dead!

From corruption, from decay, Springs yon clove-pink's fragrant bloom; Yon gay waters wind their way From the hollows of a tomb.

From the planets thou mayest know All the change that shifts below, Fled--beneath that zone of rays, Fled to night a thousand Mays; Thrones a thousand--rising--sinking, Earth from thousand slaughters drinking Blood profusely poured as water;-- Of the sceptre--of the slaughter-- Wouldst thou know what trace remaineth?

Seek them where the dark king reigneth!