by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962)
Translation © by Sharon Krebs

Meine Jugend war ein Gartenland
Language: German (Deutsch) 
Available translation(s): ENG FRE
Meine Jugend war ein Gartenland,
Silberbrunnen sprangen in den Matten,
Alter Bäume märchenblaue Schatten
Kühlten meiner frechen Träume Brand.

Dürstend geh ich nun auf heißen Wegen
Und verschlossen liegt mein Jugendland,
Rosen nicken übern Mauerrand
Spöttisch meiner Wanderschaft entgegen.

Und indes mir fern und ferner singt
Meines kühlen Garten Wipfelrauschen,
Muß ich inniger und tiefer lauschen,
Wie es schöner noch als damals klingt.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, pages 204-205.


Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2018, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this text: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-04-29
Line count: 12
Word count: 63

My youth was a garden landscape
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch) 
My youth was a garden landscape,
Silvery fountains played in the meadows,
The fairy-tale-blue shadows of old trees
Cooled the burning of my audacious dreams.

Thirsting, I now walk upon torrid pathways
And the land of my youth is barred to me,
Roses nod over the edge of the rock wall,
[Nod] mockingly toward my wanderings.

And while the soughing of the treetops in my cool garden
Sings to me from far and farther away,
I must listen more fervently and more deeply
To how it sounds even more lovely than it did back then.

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of title(s):
"Jugendgarten" = "Garden of youth"
"Jugendland" = "Land of youth"


Authorship:

  • Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2018 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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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2018-12-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 95