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Meine fröhliche Liebe hat mich verlassen. Ich suchte sie wieder in allen Gassen, Sie aber lag schon weit von mir In einem hellen Birkenwald Und freute sich ihrer Wohlgestalt Und reckte die Glieder lang und zier. Dort spielt sie nun mit Elf und Nick, Läßt über ihr schneeweiß Genick Die langen Ringelhaare fließen, Pflückt Enzian zum Zeitvertreib Und läßt sich nachts den blanken Leib Mit Mondenschein begießen. Ich aber warte nun in Ruh, Schließ Tür und Laden sorglich zu Und leg mich in die kühlen Kissen. Wenn sie der grünen Tage satt Den Weg zurück gefunden hat, Soll sie erst klopfen müssen.
About the headline (FAQ)
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Hermann Hesse, Sämtliche Werke, herausgegeben von Volker Michels, Band 10 Die Gedichte, bearbeitet von Peter Huber, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp Verlag, 2002, page 51.
Text Authorship:
- by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Meine fröhliche Liebe", written 1898 [author's text checked 2 times against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Richard Czelinski (1901 - 1969), "Meine fröhliche Liebe hat mich verlassen", 1948 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Hans Gál (1890 - 1987), "Meine fröhliche Liebe hat mich verlassen", op. 12 (Drei Lieder für Frauenchor und Pianoforte) no. 1 (1910-3), published 1921, first performed 1915 [ four-part women's chorus and piano ], F.E.C. Leuckart, Leipzig [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Casimir von Pászthory (1886 - 1966), "Meine fröhliche Liebe", published 1936 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2019, (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: 2007-06-02
Line count: 18
Word count: 102
My merry love has left me. I searched for her again in all the streets, But she already lay far away from me In a bright birch forest And rejoiced in her comeliness And stretched her long and delicate limbs. There she now plays with elf and sprite, Over her snow-white neck she allows Her long ringlets to flow, Picks gentians to pass the time And at night, she lets her bare body Be showered with moonlight. But I now wait calmly, I carefully close the door and the shutters And lay my head upon the cool pillows. When she has had enough of the green days And has found her way back, Then she shall first have to knock.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of title(s):
"Meine fröhliche Liebe hat mich verlassen" = "My merry love has left me"
"Meine fröhliche Liebe" = "My merry love"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2019 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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in German (Deutsch) by Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962), "Meine fröhliche Liebe", written 1898
This text was added to the website: 2019-02-04
Line count: 18
Word count: 120