Der Tag ist um; schon wird die Ferne trüber, Der glatte See erglänzt in schwerem Rot, Geschmückte Barken gleiten mir vorüber, Gesang wird laut ... Wann rasten wir, mein Boot? Das Lied vertönt. Mit langen Schatten bricht Die frühe Nacht vom Hochgebirg herein. Das letzte Schiff fährt mit Laternenlicht Der Ferne zu ... Mein Boot, wir sind allein. Die Nacht wird kühl. Mich treibt es ohne Ruh Dem rätselhaften Glanz der Firne zu. Mit tastend leisen Fingern pocht der Tod An meinen Kiel ... Was zitterst du, mein Boot?
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Composition:
- Set to music by Siegfried Garibaldi Kallenberg (1867 - 1944), "Nächtliche Bootsfahrt", 1942 [ voice and piano ]
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Bootnacht", written 1902, appears in Unterwegs, first published 1911
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Navigation de nuit", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-05-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 86