The land of the
living
I
know of a land
Where hair does not grey, and where time’s
rule is banned,
Where sun does not burn, and where wave does
not ring,
Where autumn embraces the blossoming spring,
Where morning and evening unceasingly dance
In
noon’s brightest glance.
Oh,
wonderful land,
Where glass does not run full of tear-drops
as sand,
Where nothing is wanting that’s worth holding
dear,
Where that does not lack which so pained us
back here!
With breast filled with longing we seek ever
more
Your
sweet-smiling shore.
Oh,
long-promised land!
We greet you in morning hour’s mirror-clear
strand,
When perfect your shadow the child may espy
And where woods are green dreams that there
you must lie,
Where too it can share with the rushes and
flowers
Its
smile and its hours.
Oh,
transient dream
Of island eternal in time’s rushing stream!
Of joy’s sacred temple in life’s vale of
tears,
Of life half-divine in this hall’s mortal
years!
The land of the living with you melts away
From
those made of clay.
Oh,
hope-dashing dream!
You glittering bubble on time’s rushing
stream!
In vain would the poet, with voice and with
pen,
From bright-gleaming shadows create you again;
Where shadow comes closest, the small will
all weep
Who
on it gaze deep.
Oh,
spell-binding dream
Of pearl that’s eternal in time’s rushing
stream!
You fool those poor persons who all seek in
vain
In image and art what the heart would retain,
And make them call lasting what just
disappears
Like
days, months and years.
Oh,
spirit of love!
Your hand let me kiss, reaching down from
above
From heaven’s fair skies to this earth’s
murky hold
And touching our eyes with its fingers of
gold,
So blue-tinged there climbs behind
surf-roaring strand
The
wonderful land!
Oh,
heavenly name,
Whose sacred embrace does our nature enflame,
So spirit can mingle with dust without grief
And bring back to life every dead withered
leaf!
Oh, deep in my clay let me fall on my knee
So
God may see me!
Oh,
faith beyond bliss,
Whose high-vaulted bridge spans the gaping
abyss
When drifting ice threatens in surf-roaring
strand
From poor mortal dwelling to far promised
land!
Come farther down to me, you high-honoured
guest!
That
pleases you best.
Oh,
hope fleet of wing!
Oh, brother reborn through divine
christening!
For all journeys made to the land o’er the
sea,
Good tidings and comfort you’ve lavished on
me,
May I ever thank you, so joy is in store
When
hope is no more!
Oh,
love perfect love!
Quiet source of fierce torrents that mightily
move!
He calls you his
father who ransoms our plight
Your spirit all soul’s vital force does
ignite;
Your kingdom is there where man death does
defy;
May
us it be nigh!
Our
father sublime!
You willingly reign in earth’s temple of
grime,
Who builds up the spirit in Jesu’s sweet
name,
In human embrace with an altar aflame,
With heaven-bright dwelling of faith dearly
won,
For
you and your son.
Oh,
Christian faith sweet!
You grant every heart what the world cannot
greet;
What barely we glimpse while our eye is still
blue,
Is living within us, we know this is true;
Both heaven and earth are my land, life
confides
Where
love e’er resides.
No comments:
Post a Comment