Ich sah des Sommers letzte Rose blühn,
Sie war, als ob sie bluten könne, rot;
Da sprach ich schaudernd im Vorübergehn:
So weit im Leben, ist zu nah am Tod!
Es regte sich kein Hauch am heißen Tag,
Nur leise strich ein weisser Schmetterling;
Doch ob auch kaum die Luft sein Flügelschlag
Bewegte, sie empfand es und verging.
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Summer image", copyright ©
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Image d'été", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 61
I saw the Summer's last rose blooming;
it was red, as if it could bleed;
then, shuddering, I spoke in passing:
"To be so far in life is to be too near to death!"
Not one breeze stirred on that hot day;
only a white butterfly withdrew gently;
yet even though the beating of its wings hardly
affected the air, the rose felt it and expired.