Meine Liebe ist ein stilles Boot,
Das mit träumerischen Ruderschlägen,
Einer dunklen Brandung treibt entgegen.
Meine Liebe ist ein jähes Licht,
Das durch schwarze, schwüle Nächte bricht
Und unselig wie ein Blitz verloht.
Meine Liebe ist ein krankes Kind,
Das bei Nacht in seinem Bette sinnt;
Und am Rand des Bettes steht der Tod.
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 103.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Parables", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Allégories", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2009-05-24
Line count: 9
Word count: 54
My love is a quiet boat
That, with dreamy oar-strokes,
Floats toward a dark surf.
My love is a sudden light
That breaks through black, humid nights
And blazes out as evilly as a bolt of lightning.
My love is a sick child
That ponders in his bed at night;
And at the edge of the bed stands death.