sometimes misattributed to
Hermann Hesse (1877 - 1962) and possibly by
H. Hesse
Eine Frauenhand
Language: German (Deutsch)
Available translation(s): ENG
O eine weiche, weiße Frauenhand,
Wem sie die Stirn gestreift im Traumesschlummer,
Wer ihre holde Sprache je verstand, --
Es lindert allen müden Erdenkummer
Mir eine weiche, weiße Frauenhand!
Und wenn im [Herbststurmwind]1 die schwarzen Raben
Hinkrächzen über ödes totes Land,
Wie süß ists dann, ein trautes Heim zu haben,
Und eine weiche, weiße Frauenhand!
View original text (without footnotes)
Note: the Knayer song credits "H. Hesse" as the author of the text, but there is no poem in Hermann Hesse's work that matches this title and first line. It may be that a friend of the composer had the same initials and last name as the famous poet, and he/she is the writer. Either way, we will update this page when we uncover any further information.
1 error in the Knayer manuscript: "Herbsturmwind"
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) , "A woman's hand", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2022-09-30
Line count: 9
Word count: 54
A woman's hand
Language: English  after the German (Deutsch)
Oh, a soft, white woman's hand,
He whose brow has been fleetingly touched by it in dreaming slumber,
He who has ever understood its lovely utterance, --
All weary earthly sorrow is assuaged
For me by a soft, white woman's hand!
And when in the storm-winds of autumn the black ravens
Cry across the desolate, dead land,
How sweet it is then to have a cozy home,
And a soft, white woman's hand!
Authorship:
- Translation from German (Deutsch) to English copyright © 2022 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: 2022-10-04
Line count: 9
Word count: 72