Six Poems by Theodor Körner for Voice and Fortepiano

 Sweet light! From golden gates
 you break triumphant through the night.
 Beautiful day! You have awakened.
 With mysterious words,
 in melodious chords,
 I greet your rosy splendor!
 
 Ah! to love blowing gently
 my heart is moved and swells,
 softly, like a beloved pain.
 Oh, if only I could wander on golden heights
 in the morning fragrance!
 Longing draws me heavenward.
 
 And the bold struggles of my soul
 carry me up in a proud, giant leap
 through the clouds.
 Yet with gentle, sacred trembling
 the song penetrates my innermost life,
 dissolving the melodious storm.
 
 Before my eyes everything grows bright;
 Cheerfully on the tender path
 wafts the harmony of nature,
 and the spring rushes with inspiration,
 the fugitive waves dance merrily 
 through the quiet field of morning.
 
 And filled with sweet joy
 tender harmony weaves itself
 through the poetry of life.
 What resounds deep in the soul,
 what the intoxicated mouth sings,
 glows in high melody.
 
 The merry sons of song
 are yielded to in life by every pain,
 and only love swells their hearts
 in the song's sacred tones;
 and in the morning glow of Beauty
 the soul flees heavenwards.

Sleep softly! - Still in your mother’s embrace!
You do not feel life’s suffering and desire;
Your dreams know no pains,
Your world is your mother’s breast.

Ah! how sweetly one dreams in [those] early hours,
When one lives through maternal love;
The memory has deserted me,
Only a foreboding remains, which shivers through me.

Thrice may a man be warmed so sweetly,
Thrice is allowed to the lucky,
That in the holy arms arms of Love
He may believe there is a higher purpose for his life.

Love gives him its first blessing,
And the infant blossoms in joy and pleasure,
Laughing at everything with a fresh outlook;
Love holds him to [his] mother’s breast.

But if the beautiful sky dims,
And the youth's course is clouded:
Then, for the second chance, he takes a lover:
[And] Love takes him in her arms.

But if, in a storm, the stalk breaks,
And, in a storm, the man’s heart breaks:
Then Love will appear as the Angel of Death,
And lead him jubilantly heavenwards.

 Sweet darling! come to me!
 I'll give you a thousand kisses
 if you'll notice me here at your feet.
 Maiden, the fire of your lips
 gives me strength and the courage to live.
 Let me kiss you!
 
 Maiden, do not turn red!
 even if your mother has forbidden it,
 should you miss every joy?
 Only against the beloved's breast
 does life's fairest pleasure bloom.
 Let me kiss you!
 
 My darling, why do you make such a fuss?
 Listen to me and kiss me.
 Do you wish to know nothing about love?
 Doesn't your little heart feel waves
 of joy and pain?
 Let me kiss you!
 
 Look, your resistance does not help you;
 After my singer's duty, I have already
 torn from you the first kiss! -
 And now you sink, warm with love,
 willing in my arms.
 Let me kiss you!

 Maiden, my heart throbs for you with gentle trembling,
 full of fidelity and love.
 In you, in you, I give up my striving;
 for you are my fairest goal!
 Your name will resound in sacred tones
 and fill my bold heart;
 in a radiance of goodness and beauty
 your image will shine upon me.
 
 Love springs from tender buds,
 and its blossoms will never wilt!
 You, maiden, live in my dreams,
 with sweet harmony.
 Rapture rushes through me;
 boldly I strum the strings,
 and all my fairest songs,
 I give your name alone.
 
 My heaven gleams in your gaze,
 at your bosom is my paradise;
 ah! all the charm that adorns you
 is so lovely, so sweet;
 my heart swims in joy and pain;
 only longing lives in me,
 only one thought here in my heart -
 an eternal yearning for you.

I have a type of hot, young blood,
As you all well know,
I am really inclined towards kissing,
And yet I have never yet kissed;
For although there is a girl I fancy
It looks as if it isn't going to happen:
Despite all my trouble and cunning plans
I have nevertheless never yet kissed.

Our neighbour's Rosy is good to me,
She went off early to the meadow,
I ran after her, and plucked up courage,
And I threw my arm round her,
But I got pricked when I touched her bodice,
A pin went into my hand;
The blood gushed out, I leapt home,
And that was it with the kissing.

Recently I went off to pass the time of day
And I met her there by the river,
I threw my arm around her body,
And begged her for a kiss;
At that she pursed her pink lips,
Then the old guard-dog came
And in a rage it bit me in the leg!
That's when I gave up kissing.

After that I was sitting one day in front of her door
Quietly happy and enjoying myself,
She gave me her lovely hand,
I pulled it towards my chest;
Then her father sprang out from behind the door,
From where he had been watching us for a long time,
And the outcome was just the same as ever,
I missed out on the third kiss.

Just yesterday I met her by the house,
She called me over gently:
"My window overlooks the courtyard,
I shall be waiting for you this evening."
I then arrived crazy with love
And set up my ladder;
But it broke apart underneath me
And that was the end of any kissing.

And that is what happens to me every time;
Oh, what a thing to have to bear!
I don't know how I can be happy
If I don't manage to get a kiss soon.
Luck seems to treat me very darkly,
What have I done to deserve it, poor lad?
So, whoever hears this, have pity on me,
Please be so good as to kiss me.

Farewell! Farewell! - With throbbing heart
I salute you, and follow my duty.
In my eye, a tear wells up;
What am I resisting? The tears don't shame me. -
Alas! wherever I go, be it on peaceful paths,
or where Death’s bloody garlands bloom:
Your priceless, gentle forms remain,
rending my soul with love and longing.

[ ... ]