possibly by
Caroline von Günderrode (1780 - 1806)
Language: German (Deutsch)
Ist alles stumm und leer;
Nichts macht mir Freude mehr;
Düfte, sie düften nicht,
Lüfte, sie lüften nicht;
Mein Herz so schwer!
Ist alles öd' und hin;
Bange mein Geist und Sinn;
Wollte, nicht weiß ich, was;
Jagt mich ohn' Unterlaß,
Wüßt ich wohin?
Ein Bild von Meisterhand
Hat mir den Sinn gebannt;
Seit ich das holde sah,
Ist's fern und ewig nah,
Mir anverwandt.
Ein Klang im Herzen ruht,
Der noch erfüllt den Muth,
Wie Flötenhauch ein Wort,
Tönet noch leise fort,
Stillt Thränenfluth.
Frühlinges Blumen treu
Kommen zurück auf's Neu;
Nicht so der Liebe Glück,
Ach, es kommt nicht zurück -
Schön, doch nicht treu!
Kann Lieb' so unlieb sein,
Von mir so fern, was mein?
Kann Lust so schmerzlich sein,
Untreu so herzlich sein?
O Wonn', o Pein!
Phönix der Lieblichkeit,
Dich trägt dein Fittig weit
Hin zu der Sonne Strahl,
Ach was ist dir zumal
Mein einsam Leid!
First cited (and possibly first published) by Bettina von Arnim in her work "Die Günderode" [sic] ; appears also among the
Gedichte aus dem Nachlaß of Caroline Günderrode but may not have been written by her. Text above from the CD ROM
Deutsche Literatur von Frauen. Von Catharina von Greiffenberg bis Franziska von Reventlow, Digitale Bibliothek Band45, Directmedia: Berlin, 2001
Composition:
Text Authorship:
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Senior Associate Editor]This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 35
Word count: 157
Language: English after the German (Deutsch)
Everything is mute and empty;
Nothing gives me joy any longer;
Scents, they are not fragrant,
Breezes, they do not cool;
My heart is so heavy!
Everything is desolate and has passed away;
Anxious my mind and my spirit;
I do not know what I desire;
Something drives me without ceasing,
Knew I whither?
A picture from a master's hand
Holds my spirit spellbound;
Since I saw the lovely thing,
It is far and eternally near,
It is akin to me.
A sound rests within my heart,
That yet fills my spirit,
A word like the breath of a flute
Still continues to sound quietly,
Calming the flood of tears.
The faithful flowers of spring
Return anew;
Not so the joy of love,
Ah, it never returns -
It is beautiful, but not steadfast!
Can love be so unwelcome,
Can what is mine be so far from me?
Can pleasure be so painful,
Unfaithfulness so heartfelt?
Oh bliss, oh sorrow!
Phoenix of loveliness,
Your wings carry you far away
Up to the beams of the sun,
Ah, of what concern to you is
My lonely pain!
About the headline (FAQ)
Title for Diepenbrock's setting: "Lament of Love"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2010 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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This text was added to the website: 2010-11-22
Line count: 35
Word count: 190
