Clarissa

1.

When I offer love the truest,
You are troubled and decline it;
But you straightly fall to weeping,
If as " no " I should divine it.

I have seldom prayed — so hear me,
God Almighty! Help this maid;
Of Thy grace her brain enlighten;
May her pretty tears be stayed!

2.

Where you go you always see me,
Always see me, your pursuer;
And the worse I am entreated,
I but cling to you the truer.

Pretty scorn in bondage holds me,
Just as kindness will remove me.
Would you really send me flying,
It but needs that you should love me.

3.

Devil take your cruel parents,
Take your father, take your mother,
In the theatre who hindered
Us from seeing one another!

Broad in finery they sat there;
Scarce a loophole could I find
For espying you, beloved,
In the box concealed behind.

On the ruin of two lovers
Calm they gazed with tranquil eye,
And they clapped immense approval
When they saw the lovers die.

4.

Through the naughty quarters go not —
Streets that pretty eyes are bright'ning.
Ah! too kindly they will spare you
Hint of peril from their lightning.

From the lofty windows smiling,
Eyes will fall on you and greet you:
Eyes so friendly (Death and Devil!),
Like a sister's they will meet you.

Vain the struggle: you're already
On the way; a load of sorrow
You'll return with on your bosom,
That will last for many a morrow.

5.

Now, when fairest is the summer,
Wounded deep, and sick and ailing,
To the wood, a lonely comer,
I have borne my bitter wailing.

Birds around, in pity vying,
Hush their song my woe to hearken,
And the wind my plaint is sighing,
Where the linden branches darken.

And I grieve where I am seated
In the hushed and grassy hollow.
" Ah, my kitten! " Soft repeated
By the hills, the echoes follow.

" Kitten, kitten, winsome kitten!
Why hast wounded me so badly?
Ah, thy tiger claws have smitten
Deep my heart, and torn it sadly!

" For believe, my heart sincerely
Long was closed to love's beguiling,
Till I loved again too dearly,
Saw and loved your pretty smiling.

" Sweet and low you seemed to mew it:
" You'll be neither scratched nor bitten,
Only trust; you will not rue it;
I am such a gentle kitten." "

*****

6.

In the woods her wild sweet measure
Philomela careless sings;
But you needs must find your pleasure
In canaries — fluttering things!

In their cage I watch you feed them,
Pretty tame and yellow folk;
For their sugared morsel pleading,
At your finger see them poke.

To the angels must the beauty
Of a scene like this be dear!
'Tis so touching that, in duty,
I myself must shed a tear!

7.

The spring has come with wedding gifts,
With music and rejoicing,
Congratulations to the bride
And to the bridegroom voicing.

It brings the jasmin, violets,
Sweet herbs, the rose in pride, too;
It brings the bridegroom celery,
Asparagus for the bride, too.

8.

Guard you God from overheating,
And your heart from palpitation;
Keep you safe from overeating,
And excessive perspiration!

Love, so warm this marriage morning,
May the years of wedlock nourish:
May it never turn to scorning;
And your bodies, may they flourish!

9.

Gentle maiden, on my case
You can now decide with right:
" Of a truth the man is base,
He would vex me just for spite; —

" Me who never spoke a word
That could possibly offend him;
Who, if blame he had incurred,
Would so zealously befriend him —

" Me, who went so far, in fact,
That I might have loved him dearly,
Had he but contrived to act
Less insanely, more sincerely! "

10.

How you mock and sulk and snarl,
When by jealous fancy bit!
How you writhe for spite and anger,
Though you love me not a whit!

Roses red, you will not smell them,
Will not kiss the fragrant rose;
But you sniff among the briars
Till you scratch your foolish nose.

11.

Too late, alas! your pretty smiling,
Your tender sighs, alas! too late!
For buried long is now the passion
You treated once with scorn and hate.

Too late, alas! is love's returning,
These loving looks, too late to save!
Upon my heart they fall as fruitless
As sunshine falling on a grave.

Ah, if I only knew where sojourn
Our souls at last, from life released!
Where is the fire to ashes fallen?
Where are the winds that blew and ceased?
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Author of original: 
Heinrich Heine
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