Lotus 1 | Quite clearly, this couple's making

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by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856)

Translation © by Peter Palmer

Lotosblume I

(Sung text for setting by D. Blake)

See original

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG

Wahrhaftig, wir beide bilden
Ein kurioses Paar,
Die Liebste ist schwach auf den Beinen,
Der Liebhaber lahm sogar.

Sie ist ein leidendes Kätzchen,
Und er ist krank wie ein Hund,
Ich glaube, im Kopfe sind beide
Nicht sonderlich gesund.

 ... 

Sie sei eine Lotosblume,
Bildet die Liebste sich ein;
Doch er, der blasse Geselle,
Vermeint der Mond zu sein.

Die Lotosblume erschließet
Ihr Kelchlein im Mondenlicht,
Doch statt des befruchtenden Lebens
Empfängt sie nur ein Gedicht.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-5 of the original text.

Composition:

David Leonard Blake

From the mattress grave : a cycle of twelve songs to poems by Heine

Text Authorship:

by Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Lotosblume", appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1845-1856, no. 58

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English [singable] (Peter Palmer) , "Lotus 1", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-11-07
Line count: 20
Word count: 95

Lotus 1

(Sung text translation for setting by D. Blake)

See original

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Quite clearly, this couple's making
A most unusual sight,
The sweetheart's unsteady when walking,
But worse is her lover's plight.

She's like a poor little kitten,
While he's as sick as as a hound;
I wager the thinking of neither
Rates as especially sound.

 ... 

That she is a lotus blossom
Mam'selle is dreaming all day,
But he, her pale-faced companion,
The part of Moon would play.

The lotus blossom now opens
Her chalice so tiny and pink;
Instead of his life-giving pollen,
He offers her poems to drink.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-5 of the original text.

Note: this is a revised American version of the one published with the David Blake setting.

Text Authorship:

Singable translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2009 by Peter Palmer, (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 Heinrich Heine (1797 - 1856), "Lotosblume", appears in Nachgelesene Gedichte 1845-1856, no. 58
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This text was added to the website: 2009-06-10
Line count: 20
Word count: 111