by
Georg Trakl (1887 - 1914)
Sonja
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Abend kehrt in alten Garten;
Sonjas Leben, blaue Stille.
Wilder Vögel Wanderfahrten;
Kahler Baum in Herbst und Stille.
Sonnenblume, sanftgeneigte
Über Sonjas weißes Leben.
Wunde, rote, niegezeigte
Läßt in dunklen Zimmern leben,
Wo die blauen Glocken läuten;
Sonjas Schritt und sanfte Stille.
Sterbend Tier grüßt im Entgleiten,
Kahler Baum in Herbst und Stille.
Sonne alter Tage leuchtet
Über Sonjas weiße Brauen,
Schnee, der ihre Wangen feuchtet,
Und die Wildnis ihrer Brauen.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Heimo Erbse (1924 - 2005), "Sonja", op. 27 no. 2, published 1971 [ baritone and orchestra ], from Fünf Orchestergesänge nach Georg Trakl für Bariton und Orchester, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Wilhelm Killmayer (1927 - 2017), "Sonja", 1993 [ tenor and piano ], from Trakl-Lieder I, no. 4, Mainz, Schott [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Bertram Kottmann) , "Sonja", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Sonia", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2012-03-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 71
Sonja
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Evening sinks on ancient garden;
Sonja’s being, deep blue stillness.
Birds of passage on their wanderings;
balding tree in autumn stillness.
Sunflow’r, bent in gentle manner
over Sonja’s life of whiteness.
Wound, still red and ne’er revealèd,
makes her live in darkened chambers,
where the azure bells are ringing;
Sonja’s step and gentle stillness.
Dying beast greets in deceasing,
balding tree in autumn stillness.
Sun of bygone days is gleaming
over Sonja’s brows of whiteness,
snowflakes, that her cheeks have moistened
and her wildly growing brows.
Authorship:
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2016-06-20
Line count: 16
Word count: 86