Poems of Goethe (eBook)

FAMILIAR SONGS.

———

What we sing in company

Soon from heart to heart will fly.

——-

THE Gesellige Lieder, which I have angicisled as above, as several of them cannot be called convivial songs, are separated by Goethe from his other songs, and I have adhered to the same arrangement. The Ergo bibamus is a well-known drinking song in Germany, where it enjoys vast popularity.

ON THE NEW YEAR.

[Composed for a merry party that used to meet, in 1802, at

Goethe’s house.]

FATE now allows us,

‘Twixt the departing

And the upstarting,

Happy to be;

And at the call of

Memory cherish’d,

Future and perish’d

Moments we see.

Seasons of anguish,—

Ah, they must ever

Truth from woe sever,

Love and joy part;

Days still more worthy

Soon will unite us,

Fairer songs light us,

Strength’ning the heart.

We, thus united,

Think of, with gladness,

Rapture and sadness,

Sorrow now flies.

Oh, how mysterious

Fortune’s direction!

Old the connection,

New-born the prize!

Thank, for this, Fortune,

Wavering blindly!

Thank all that kindly

Fate may bestow!

Revel in change’s

Impulses clearer,

Love far sincerer,

More heartfelt glow!

Over the old one,

Wrinkles collected,

Sad and dejected,

Others may view;

But, on us gently

Shineth a true one,

And to the new one

We, too, are new.

As a fond couple

‘Midst the dance veering,

First disappearing,

Then reappear,

So let affection

Guide thro’ life’s mazy

Pathways so hazy

Into the year!

1802. ——- ANNIVERSARY SONG.

[This little song describes the different members of the party just spoken of.]

WHY pacest thou, my neighbour fair,

The garden all alone?

If house and land thou seek’st to guard,

I’d thee as mistress own.

My brother sought the cellar-maid,

And suffered her no rest;

She gave him a refreshing draught,

A kiss, too, she impress’d.

My cousin is a prudent wight,

The cook’s by him ador’d;

He turns the spit round ceaselessly,

To gain love’s sweet reward.

We six together then began

A banquet to consume,

When lo! a fourth pair singing came,

And danced into the room.

Welcome were they,—and welcome too

Was a fifth jovial pair.

Brimful of news, and stored with tales

And jests both new and rare.

For riddles, spirit, raillery,

And wit, a place remain’d;

A sixth pair then our circle join’d,

And so that prize was gain’d.

And yet to make us truly blest,

One miss’d we, and full sore;

A true and tender couple came,—

We needed them no more.

The social banquet now goes on,

Unchequer’d by alloy;

The sacred double-numbers then

Let us at once enjoy!

1802. ——- THE SPRING ORACLE.

OH prophetic bird so bright,

Blossom-songster, cuckoo bight!

In the fairest time of year,

Dearest bird, oh! deign to hear

What a youthful pair would pray,

Do thou call, if hope they may:

Thy cuck-oo, thy cuck-oo.

Ever more cuck-oo, cuck-oo!

Hearest thou? A loving pair

Fain would to the altar fare;

Yes! a pair in happy youth,

Full of virtue, full of truth.

Is the hour not fix’d by fate?

Say, how long must they still wait?

Hark! cuck-oo! hark! cuck-oo!

Silent yet! for shame, cuck-oo!

‘Tis not our fault, certainly!

Only two years patient be!

But if we ourselves please here,

Will pa-pa-papas appear?

Know that thou’lt more kindness do us,

More thou’lt prophesy unto us.

One! cuck-oo! Two! cuck-oo!

Ever, ever, cuck-oo, cuck-oo, coo!

If we’ve calculated clearly,

We have half a dozen nearly.

If good promises we’ll give,

Wilt thou say how long we’II live?

Truly, we’ll confess to thee,

We’d prolong it willingly.

Coo cuck-oo, coo cuck-oo,

Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo!

Life is one continued feast—

(If we keep no score, at least).

If now we together dwell,

Will true love remain as well?

For if that should e’er decay,

Happiness would pass away.

Coo cuck-oo, coo cuck-oo,

Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo!

1803.*

(Gracefully in infinitum.)

——-

THE HAPPY COUPLE.

AFTER these vernal rains

That we so warmly sought,

Dear wife, see how our plains

With blessings sweet are fraught!

We cast our distant gaze

Far in the misty blue;

Here gentle love still strays,

Here dwells still rapture true.

Thou seest whither go

Yon pair of pigeons white,

Where swelling violets blow

Round sunny foliage bright.

‘Twas there we gather’d first

A nosegay as we roved;

There into flame first burst

The passion that we proved.

Yet when, with plighted troth,

The priest beheld us fare

Home from the altar both,

With many a youthful pair,—

Then other moons had birth,

And many a beauteous sun,

Then we had gain’d the earth

Whereon life’s race to run.

A hundred thousand fold

The mighty bond was seal’d;

In woods, on mountains cold,

In bushes, in the field,

Within the wall, in caves,

And on the craggy height,

And love, e’en o’er the waves,

Bore in his tube the light.

Contented we remain’d,

We deem’d ourselves a pair;

‘Twas otherwise ordain’d,

For, lo! a third was there;

A fourth, fifth, sixth appear’d,

And sat around our board;

And now the plants we’ve rear’d

High o’er our heads have soar’d!

How fair and pleasant looks,

On yonder beauteous spot,

Embraced by poplar-brooks,

The newly-finish’d cot!

Who is it there that sits

In that glad home above?

Is’t not our darling Fritz

With his own darling love?

Beside yon precipice,

Whence pent-up waters steal,

And leaving the abyss,

Fall foaming through the wheel,

Though people often tell

Of millers’ wives so fair,

Yet none can e’er excel

Our dearest daughter there!

Yet where the thick-set green

Stands round yon church and sad,

Where the old fir-tree’s seen

Alone tow’rd heaven to nod,—

‘Tis there the ashes lie

Of our untimely dead;

From earth our gaze on high

By their blest memory’s led.

See how yon hill is bright

With billowy-waving arms!

The force returns, whose might

Has vanquished war’s alarms.

Who proudly hastens here

With wreath-encircled brow?

‘Tis like our child so dear

Thus Charles comes homeward now.

That dearest honour’d guest

Is welcom’d by the bride;

She makes the true one blest,

At the glad festal tide.

And ev’ry one makes haste

To join the dance with glee;

While thou with wreaths hast graced

The youngest children three.

To sound of flute and horn

The time appears renew’d,

When we, in love’s young morn,

In the glad dance upstood;

And perfect bliss I know

Ere the year’s course is run,

For to the font we go

With grandson and with son!

1803.* ——- SONG OF FELLOWSHIP.

[Written and sung in honour of the birthday of the Pastor Ewald at the time of Goethe’s happy connection with Lily.]

IN ev’ry hour of joy

That love and wine prolong,

The moments we’ll employ

To carol forth this song!

We’re...