I dreamt I flew quite anxiously

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by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862)

Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Mir träumt', ich flög' gar bange

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Mir träumt', ich flög' gar bange
Weit in die Welt hinaus,
Zu Straßburg durch alle Gassen
Bis vor Feinsliebchens Haus.

Feinsliebchen ist betrübet,
Als ich so flieg', und weint:
"Wer dich so fliegen lehret,
Das ist der böse Feind." 

Feinsliebchen! was hilft lügen,
Da du doch alles weißt!
Wer mich so fliegen lehrte,
Das ist der böse Geist.

Feinsliebchen weint und schreiet,
Daß ich am Schrei erwacht,
Da lieg' ich, ach! in Augsburg
Gefangen auf der Wacht. 

Und morgen muß ich hangen,
Feinslieb mich nicht mehr ruft,
Wohl morgen als ein Vogel
Schweb' ich in freier Luft.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• E. Duis • W. Petersen

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Confirmed with Justinus Kerner Werke, Zweiter Teil, Gedichte, ed. Raimund Pissin, Berlin, Leipzig, Wien, Stuttgart: Deutsches Verlagshaus Bong & Co., 1914, page 51

Note: Kerner's poem was included in Des Knaben Wunderhorn under the title "Icarus" with the subtitle "Mitgetheilt, wahrscheinlich nicht sehr alt".

Text Authorship:

by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Der schwere Traum", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

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Research team for this page: Matthias Gräff-Schestag , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 109

I dreamt I flew quite anxiously

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Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

I dreamt I flew quite anxiously
Far out into the world,
To Strasbourg through all the streets
Up to the house of my lady-love.

My lady-love is sorrowful,
That I fly thus, and she weeps:
“The one who taught you to fly like that,
That is the devil.”

My lady-love, of what use is lying,
Since you know everything anyway!
The one who taught me to fly like this,
That is the evil spirit.

My lady-love weeps and screams,
Such that I awaken at her scream,
There I lie, alas, in Augsburg
A prisoner well watched.

And tomorrow I must hang,
My lady-love shall no longer call me,
Tomorrow already like a bird
I shall float in the free breezes.

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Translated titles:
"Icarus" = "Icarus"
"Der schwere Traum" = "The oppressive dream"

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2014 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.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Justinus (Andreas Christian) Kerner (1786 - 1862), "Der schwere Traum", appears in Gedichte, in Die lyrischen Gedichte
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This text was added to the website: 2014-09-03
Line count: 20
Word count: 125