Songs and Legends of the Rhine, op. 35

Belov'd and lovely river,
so beautiful and bright,
with all thy spells of wild romance,
arise before my sight!
The lov'd one fills her lover's lay,
be thou the theme of mine;
the burden of it evermore
heaven's blessing on the Rhine!

O thou Cybele of rivers,
that castle-crowned dost shine,
with legend-haunted ruin grey
and graceful wreathing vine.
E'en stranger-pilgrims feel thy charm
and worship at thy shrine!
How then how we, thine own, must cry
heaven's blessing on the Rhine!

Could I once more, but once more
thine isles and lov'd shore seek!
I think of thee, I dream of thee,
till tears roll down my cheek.
Oh take me dying to thy breast,
my last thought shall be thine,
my last faint faltering sigh shall be
heaven's blessing on the Rhine!

Forget me not! Can young love's power
of self-devotion be forgot
while lives his dearly cherish'd flower,
his azure-eyed Forget-me-not,
Love's watchword in the parting hour?
Oh, what a tale its leaflets tell
of him, who gave that name, its dower,
e'en as he bade his life farewell!
The knight who for his Lady's smile
swam to the stormy Rhine's green isle,
through the deep waves the flow'ret bore,
but perish'd, as he near'd the shore!
The faithful knight who, as he sank,
threw the wish'd blossom to the bank,
and as he threw it faintly cried:
Forget me not, sweet love! and died.

Come, oh come! Night-winds are wooing
soft the vineyards on the shore.
Come, let's glide 'mid rock and ruin
to the music of the oar.
Luna's smile each charm enhances,
turning all to silver bright,
that she touches with her glances
or her finger's tip of light.
Oh, she with that magic wand
makes all round as Fairyland!
See, how fair, how wond'rous fair
in her beam the waters shine!
Moonlight's lovely ev'rywhere,
but loveliest, oh, loveliest on the Rhine!

Night-flow'rs elfin crowns are wreathing,
and the heart's night-flower too,
all its sweetest feelings breathing,
when the daylight bids adieu.
Dreamily the earth's reclining,
bath'd in moonshine, bath'd in bliss,
but a dearer spell is twining
round our souls in hours like this.
And another magic wand
turns all there to Fairyland!
Love's sweet spirits in the air,
filling, thrilling thine and mine!
Love is heav'nly ev'rywhere,
but heav'nliest, oh heav'nliest on the Rhine!