Es erklingt wie Liebestone

Through my heart the most beguiling
Bits of love-songs rise and flit.
And I think the little, smiling
Love-God has a hand in it.

In my heart he's the director,
Calling forth its dearest themes;
And the music, sweet as nectar,
Fills and colors all my dreams.

Der Tag ist in die Nacht verliebt

The Day is enamored of Night,
And Spring is entranced by Winter,
Life is in love with Death,
And you — are in love with me!

You love me — look, and even now
Gray shadows seem to fold you;
All of your blossoming fades
And your white soul lies bleeding.

Oh shrink from me, and only love
The butterflies light-hearted,
That sport among the golden beams . . .
Oh shrink from me — and all things bitter.

In der Hand die kleine Lampe

With a small lamp in her fingers
And a great glow in her breast,
Psyche creeps into the chamber
Where the Sleeper is at rest.

She grows frightened and she blushes
As she sees his beauty bare —
While the god of love awakens,
And his pinions beat the air . . .

Eighteen hundred years of penance!
She, poor soul, still fasts with awe;
Almost dead, because she came where

Das Meer erstrahlt im Sonnenschein

The sea is sparkling in the sun,
Golden and glad to be.
My brothers, when I come to die,
Bury me in the sea.

For I have always loved it; yes,
And it was kind to me;
It cooled my heart, how often!
We were good friends, were we.

Schattenküsse, Schattenliebe

Shadow-love and shadow-kisses,
Shadow-life — you think it strange!
Fool! Did you imagine this is
Fixed and constant; free from change?

Everything we love and cherish
Like a dream, goes hurrying past;
While the hearts forget and perish,
And the eyes are closed at last.

An dem stillen Meeresstrande

Night has come with silent footsteps,
On the beaches by the ocean;
And the waves, with curious whispers,
Ask the moon, " Have you a notion

" Who that man is? Is he foolish,
Or with love is he demented?
For he seems so sad and cheerful,
So cast down yet so contented. "

And the moon, with shining laughter,
Answers them, " If you must know it,
He is both in love and foolish;

Die holden Wünsche blühen

The sweet desires blossom
And fade, and revive and spend
Their beauty and wither, and blossom —
And so on, to the end.

I know this, and it saddens
My love and all its zest . . .
My heart's so wise and clever
It bleeds away in my breast.

Es war ein alter Konig

There was an aged monarch,
His heart and head were gray with strife;
This poor, old monarch wedded
A young and lovely wife.

There was a pretty page-boy,
His hair was light, his heart was clean;
He carried the long and silken
Train of the fair young queen.

You know the old, old story
So sweet, so sad to tell —
Both of them had to perish;

Die schlanke Wasserlilie

The slender water-lily
Stares at the heavens above,
And sees the moon who gazes
With the luminous eyes of love.

Blushing, she bends and lowers
Her head in a shamed retreat —
And there is the poor, pale lover,
Languishing at her feet!

Das Meer hat seine Perlen

The sea has its pearls,
The heaven its stars, —
But my heart, my heart,
My heart has its love.

The sea and the heaven are great,
But my heart is greater still;
And fairer than pearls or stars
Glistens and sparkles my love.

Oh young and lovely maiden
Come to my fathomless heart;
My soul and the sea and the heavens
Are wasting away with love.