Little song | Although we can never be together

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by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914)

Translation © by Emily Ezust

Und werden wir uns nie besitzen

Language: German (Deutsch)

Our translations: ENG FRE

Und werden wir uns nie besitzen,
so will ich Deinen Namen doch
ins Holz der Weltenesche schnitzen,
ein Zeugnis fernstem Volke noch.

So sollen tausend Herzen lesen,
die gern ein kleines Lied beglückt,
was Du dem Einsamen gewesen,
wie Du ihn innerlichst entzückt.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Mensch Wanderer: Gedichte aus den Jahren 1887 - 1914, ed. by Margareta Morgenstern and Michael Bauer, München: Piper, 1927. This poem comes from a letter and was first published (posthumously) in this book.

Text Authorship:

by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), no title [author's text checked 1 time 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 Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen (1892 - 1959), "Kleines Lied", op. 61 no. 2, published 1928 [ voice and piano ], from Lieder der Liebe II, no. 2, also set in Finnish (Suomi) [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in Finnish (Suomi), a translation by V. Arti (Kaarlo Väinö Valve) (1885 - 1963) ; composed by Yrjö Henrik Kilpinen.

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

ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Little song", copyright © 2016
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Jamais nous ne nous posséderons", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Melanie Trumbull

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 43

Little song

Language: English after the German (Deutsch)

Although we can never be together,
I will carve your name
Into the wood of the World Ash Tree 
As testimony to the most distant people.

So shall a thousand hearts, 
Who delight in a little song,
Read of what you meant to the lonely one:
How you enchanted him the most deeply.

Text Authorship:

Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2016 by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive
For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:

a text in German (Deutsch) by Christian Morgenstern (1871 - 1914), no title
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2016-12-25
Line count: 8
Word count: 53