Farewell, O Arm of the Lord!
Man who hated the sword,
Yet struck and spared not the thing abhorred!
Farewell, O word of the Word!
Man who knew no failure
But the failure of the Lord!

Face of the spring moon--
about twelve years old,
I'd say.


Translated by Robert Hass

Oh, there once was a lady, and so I've been told,
Whose lover grew weary, whose lover grew cold.
"My child," he remarked, "though our episode ends,
In the manner of men, I suggest we be friends."
And the truest of friends ever after they were-
Oh, they lied in their teeth when they told me of her!

Du synger ungdomsglad med Smiil paa Kind,
Dig vinker Verden med sit Lys, sin Skygge,
Lad Digter-Hjertet fast paa Himlen bygge,
Vi kun som Børn i Himlen lukkes ind.

Til Kirkegaarden skotter Børneflokken,
De sorte Kors i Maaneskinnet staae,
I Huset sidder Bedstemoer ved Rokken,
Dit smukke Digt hun læser for de Smaae;
De høre om „de Dødes stille Have";
— Som Blomster-Urner staae de skumle Grave.

Selv uden Mandens Navn og hvert Hentydnings-Stof,
Jeg skulde næsten troe, man seer til hvem jeg sigter.
— Gid hver en Digter var saameget Philosoph,
Som denne Philosoph har viist, at han er Digter.

A night like opium
when the moonlight moans through the water,
that's how your eyes

brim over my face.

[Translated by Ranjit Hoskote]

As you are Young, if you'l be also Wise,
Danger with Honour court, Quarrels despise;
Believe you then are truly Brave and Bold,
To Beauty when no Slave, and less to Gold;
When Vertue you dare own, not think it odd,
Or ungenteel to say, I fear a God.

Winter and Cold,
The time of snow.
Who will be the withered plum's companion?
A fisherman's skiff

if someone told you to jump out the window you
wouldnt do it not because you thought it was
stupid but simply because you learn befor that
if you do your gonna hurt yourself or die so all im saying is try new
things because a little experince goes a long way