Meiner müden [Schwermut]1 blaues Glas 
Deckt den alten unbestimmten Kummer, 
Dessen ich genas, 
Und der nun erstarrt in seinem Schlummer. 
 
Sinnbildhaft ist seiner Blumen Zier: 
Mancher Freuden düstre Wasserrose, 
Palmen der Begier, 
Weiche Schlinggewächse, kühle Moose. 
 
Eine Lilie nur in all dem Flor, 
Bleich und starr in ihrer Kränklichkeit,
Richtet sich empor 
Über all [das blattgewordne]2 Leid. 
 
Licht sind ihre Blätter anzuschauen, 
Weißen Mondesglanz sie um sich sät, 
Zum Krystall dem blauen 
Sendet sie ihr mystisches Gebet.

View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Die Lyrik des Auslandes in neuerer Zeit, ed. Hans Bethge, Leipzig: Max Hesses Verlag, 1907, page 31
¹ Schoenberg: "Sehnsucht"
² Schoenberg: "dem blattgeword'nen"

Text Authorship:

• by Friedrich von Oppeln-Bronikowski (1873 - 1936), "Herzgewächse" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
• by K. L. Ammer , "Herzgewächse" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

• a text in French (Français) by Maurice Maeterlinck (1862 - 1949), "Feuillage du cœur", appears in Serres chaudes, Paris, Éd. Léon Vanier, first published 1886
  • Go to the text page.

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

• by Arnold Franz Walter Schoenberg (1874 - 1951), "Herzgewächse", op. 20 [ high soprano, celesta, harmonium, and harp ] [sung text checked 1 time]

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

• ENG English (Linda Godry) , "Foliage of the heart", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Research team for this page: Bertram Kottmann , Sharon Krebs [Senior Associate Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2008-02-26
Line count: 16
Word count: 79

My faded yearning's blue glass
Hides the vague old sorrow,
From which I have recovered,
And which now dries up in its slumber.

Its adorning flower is just a symbol now:
Ample pleasure's somber water lily,
Listless palms of desire,
Soft creepers, cool mosses.

Just one lily in the bouquet,
Pale and rigid in her frailty;
Rises up
Above all the sorrow transformed into leaves.

Fair are her leaves to the eye,
She sows white moonlight-glitter all around her,
Up above to that blue crystal
She sends her mystical prayer.