Der Tod ist groß und stark und schwermutsvoll Und wandert ewiglich von Land zu Land. Er findet alle, so er suchen soll. Das Herz der Erde trägt er in der Hand. Er ist ein scheuer dunkler Wandersmann. Von Gottes Tränen glänzt sein Mantelsaum. Mit Stahl und Eisen ist er angetan[;]1 So geht er schwer in seinem großen Traum. Er gibt uns allen tägliches Geleit. Kein Freund ist also treu mit uns vereint. Er liebt gleich dir der [Weiten]2 Einsamkeit, Und deine Tränen hat auch er geweint.
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View original text (without footnotes)1 in the 1929 edition of the poem, line 7 ends with a colon
2 in the 1929 edition of the poem: "Erde"
Text Authorship:
- by Hans Reinhart (1880 - 1963), "Der Tod", appears in Seliger Sommer, first published 1921 [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 Peter Otto Schneider (1901 - 1981), "Der Tod", 1952 [ bass and organ ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Harry Joelson
This text was added to the website: 2011-01-12
Line count: 12
Word count: 88