Den slanke Lilie, den hvide,
Terpsichore gav Vinger paa,
Og Blomsten blev en Sylphide,
Og Verden dit Billede saae.

Upon the soft grass, in the night, the young girls with hair of violets have all danced together, one of each pair playing the part of the lover.

The virgins said: 'We are not for you.' And as if they were ashamed, they hid their virginity. A satyr played upon the flute under the trees.

The others said: 'We have come to seek you.' They arranged their tunics about them like the dress of men; and they struggled in ecstasy while entwining their dancing legs.

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

Toc toc Il a fermé sa porte
Les lys du jardin sont flétris
Quel est donc ce mort qu'on emporte
Tu viens de toquer à sa porte
Et trotte trotte
La petite souris

dabi hui hai mere labon mein kaheen pe wo ah bhee jo ab tak

na shola ban k bharak saki hai na ashk-e-besud ban k nikali

ghuTi hui hai nafas ki had main jala diya jo jala saki hai

na shama ban kar pighal saki hai na aj tak dud ban k nikali

Naar Verden meer ei lytter til din Sang,
Vil jeg henrykkes ved din Læbes Klang.
Naar Ungdoms Smilet svinder fra din Mund,
Jeg seer det dog i Øiets dybe Grund.
Din Sjæl er stor, dit Hjerte er saa rigt.
Hvad gjemmer Du om mig? — Et gammelt Digt.

Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Buried all of his libretti,
Thought the matter over - then
Went and dug them up again.

Currants on a bush,
And figs upon a stem,
And cherries on a bending bough,
And Ned to gather them.

In shadowed gorges
erect pink bracts brim with rain
unseen, turmeric roots engorge.

Cups without wine are low things
Like a pot thrown to the ground,
But brimming with the juice, they shine
Like body and soul.

Translated by Robert Mezey