Morning journey | Just before the morning's dawning I travelled over the land

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by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Morgenfahrt

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Im Morgendämmer fuhr ich über Land -
die Äcker stumm - die Wälder schwarz und tot -
bis endlich an des Himmels fernstem Rand
sich Streifen zeigten, gelb und rosig rot.

Nicht lange, und wie Feuer und wie Blut
entstieg der Ball den Nebeln feucht und kalt,
und übergoss die Flur mit Purpurglut
und wandelte in wogend Gold den Wald.

Und auch auf mich im Wagenzwielicht traf
ein Blitz, mich strahlend wappnend wie zum Streit,
und küsste meine Seele aus dem Schlaf:
Ein Flammengruß aus der Unendlichkeit.

Text Authorship:

by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), "Morgenfahrt", appears in Gedichte aus dem Nachlass [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 Joop Voorn (1932 - 2021), "Morgenfahrt", 1990, from Zeven liederen op gedichten van Christian Morgenstern, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , "Morning journey", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Voyage matinal", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-11-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 84

Morning journey

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Just before the morning's dawning I travelled over the land -
The fields were mute - the woods black and dead -
Until finally on the farthest fringe of the heavens
Stripes appeared, yellow and rosy red.

Not long, and like fire and like blood
The ball [of the sun] rose from the damp and cold mists,
And poured a blaze of crimson over the meadows
And transformed the forest into seething gold.

And in the twilight of my coach I too was struck
By a lightening bolt that radiantly girded me as if for battle,
And with a kiss awoke my soul from sleep,
A flaming greeting from eternity.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 by Sharon Krebs, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), "Morgenfahrt", appears in Gedichte aus dem Nachlass
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2010-04-20
Line count: 12
Word count: 107