by
Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
Es geht ein alter Weg entlang
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Es geht ein alter Weg entlang
An wilden Gärten und einsamen Mauern.
Tausendjährige Eiben schauern
Im steigenden fallenden Windgesang.
Die Falter tanzen, als stürben sie bald,
Mein Blick trinkt weinend die Schatten und Lichter.
Ferne schweben Frauengesichter
Geisterhaft ins Blau gemalt.
Ein Lächeln zittert im Sonnenschein,
Indes ich langsam weiterschreite;
Unendliche Liebe gibt das Geleite.
Leise ergrünt das harte Gestein.
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Note: the title was added at the time of publication.
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 (Bertram Kottmann) , "Along walls", copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-09-16
Line count: 12
Word count: 60
Along walls
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
An old path goes along
wild gardens, lonesome walls.
Thousand-year-old yew trees shudder
In the wind’s rising, falling chant.
The butterflies dance as if they soon would die,
My weeping glance drinks shadows and lights.
In the distance women's faces hover
ghostly painted in the blue.
A smile trembles in the sunshine,
meanwhile I slowly stride on
escorted by unending love.
Quietly the hard rocks green.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2018-11-28
Line count: 12
Word count: 66