Caresses | I love those first anxious, tender caresses

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by Stefan Zweig (1881 - 1942)

Translation © by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947)

Die Zärtlichkeiten

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Ich liebe jene ersten bangen Zärtlichkeiten,
die halb noch Frage sind und halb schon Anvertraum,
weil hinter ihnen schon die andern Stunden schreiten,
die sich wie Pfeiler wuchtend in das Leben baun.
Ein Duft sind sie; des Blutes flüchtigste Berührung,
ein rascher Blick, ein Lächeln, eine leise Hand -
sie knistern schon wie rote Funken der Verführung
und stürzen Feuergarben in der Nächte Brand.
Und sind doch seltsam süss, weil sie im Spiel gegeben
noch sanft und absichtslos und leise nur verwirrt,
wie Bäume, die dem Frühlingswind entgegenbeben,
der sie in seiner harten Faust zerbrechen wird.

Confirmed with Stefan Zweig, Gesammelte Werke. Ungeduld des Herzens, Schachnovelle, Brennendes Geheimnis, Marie Antoinette, Der Amokläufer, Maria Stuart, Sternstunden der Menschheit u.a., 2018, p. 2236.

Text Authorship:

by Stefan Zweig (1881 - 1942), "Die Zärtlichkeiten" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Die Zärtlichkeiten", 2006 [ baritone and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Gary Bachlund) , "Caresses", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2007-05-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 95

Caresses

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I love those first anxious, tender caresses,
coming in part after a question and in part after a beautiful dream,
because behind them the other hours stride,
that arise like a mighty pillar in life.
They are a scent, the blood's fleeting touch,
a quick glance, a smile, a light hand -
they rustle like red sparks of temptation
and plummet like burning sheaths in the next fire.
And all are of the same sweetness, because as in a mirror they are given
wholly gentle, and unintentional, and light only to confuse,
like trees, that turn towards trembling in the spring wind,
that will be broken in their hard fist.

Text Authorship:

by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Caresses", copyright © 2006, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Stefan Zweig (1881 - 1942), "Die Zärtlichkeiten"
- Go to the text page.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-03-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 109