Die Dunkelheit sinkt schwer wie Blei

Die Dunkelheit sinkt schwer wie Blei,
in totem grauen Einerlei
ersterben Farbe und Gestalt.
Das müde Schweigen stört kein Laut
gleich einer schwarzen Mauer baut
zum Himmel sich der Wald.

In öde Leere riesengroß
streckt sich mein Leben hoffnungslos.
Es weht so dumpf und grabeskalt
der Atem dieser Nacht mich an,
ein Grauen kriecht an mich heran,
o schlief' ich, schlief ich bald.

Translation(s): CAT ENG

List of language codes

Submitted by Peter Donderwinkel

Authorship

• by Edith Ronsperger (1880 - 1921) [ author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Franz (August Julius) Schreker (1878 - 1934), "Die Dunkelheit sinkt schwer wie Blei", 1909, from Fünf Gesänge für eine Singstimme und Klavier, no. 3. [
   text verified 1 time
  ]

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

• ENG English (John H. Campbell) , title 1: "The dark descends heavy as lead", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , title unknown, copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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The dark descends heavy as lead

The dark descends heavy as lead,
in deathly grays the dawn
is colour'd and formed.
No sound disturbs the deathly silence,
the forest is like a black wall
built to heaven itself.

Into immense desolate emptiness
my life stretches on hopelessly.
So hollow and cold as the grave
blows the breath of this night on me,
what dread creeps on me here,
o I must sleep, I will sleep soon.

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Authorship

• Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © by John H. Campbell, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
  
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• a text in German (Deutsch) by Edith Ronsperger (1880 - 1921) CAT
• This text was set to music by the following composer(s): Franz Schreker. Go to the text.

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.