[Love'S Debt.]

IV. 101.

For the shores of thy distant home Thou hast forsaken the foreign land; In a memorable, sad hour I before thee cried long. Tho' cold my hands were growing Thee back to hold they tried; And begged of thee my parting groan The gnawing weariness not to break.

But from my bitter kisses thou Thy lips away hast torn; From the land of exile dreary Calling me to another land. Thou saidst: on the day of meeting Beneath a sky forever blue Olives' shade beneath, love's kisses Again, my friend, we shall unite.

But where, alas! the vaults of sky Shining are with glimmer blue, Where 'neath the rocks the waters slumber-- With last sleep art sleeping thou. And beauty thine and sufferings In the urnal grave have disappeared-- But the kiss of meeting is also gone.... But still I wait: thou art my debtor! ...

INVOCATION.

III. 146.

Oh, if true it is that by night When resting are the living And from the sky the rays of moon Along the stones of church-yard glide; O, if true it is that emptied then Are the quiet graves, I call thy shade, I wait my Lila Come hither, come hither, my friend, to me!

Appear, O shade of my beloved As thou before our parting wert: Pale, cold, like a wintry day Disfigured by thy struggle of death, Come like unto a distant star, Or like a fearful apparition, 'T is all the same: Come hither, come hither

And I call thee, not in order To reproach him whose wickedness My friend hath slain. Nor to fathom the grave's mysteries, Nor because at times I'm worn With gnawing doubt ... but I sadly Wish to say that still I love thee, That wholly thine I am: hither come, O hither!

1828.

ELEGY.

IV. 100.

The extinguished joy of crazy years On me rests heavy, like dull debauch. But of by-gone days the grief, like wine In my soul the older, the stronger 't grows. Dark my path. Toil and pain promised are me By the Future's roughened sea.

But not Death, O friends, I wish! But Life I wish: to think and suffer; Well I know, for me are joys in store 'Mid struggles, toils, and sorrows: Yet 'gain at times shall harmony drink in And tears I'll shed over Fancy's fruit,-- Yet mayhap at my saddened sunset Love will beam with farewell and smile.

1830.

SORROW.

III. 69.

Ask not why with sad reflection 'Mid gayety I oft am darkened, Why ever cheerless eyes I raise, Why sweet life's dream not dear to me is; Ask not why with frigid soul I joyous love no longer crave, And longer none I call dear: Who once has loved, not again can love; Who bliss has known, ne'er again shall know; For one brief moment to us 't is given: Of youth, of joy, of tenderness Is left alone the sadness.

1817.

DESPAIR.

III. 41.

Dear my friend, we are now parted, My soul's asleep; I grieve in silence. Gleams the day behind the mountain blue, Or rises the night with moon autumnal,-- Still thee I seek, my far off friend, Thee alone remember I everywhere, Thee alone in restless sleep I see. Pauses my mind, unwittingly thee I call; Listens mine ear, then thy voice I hear.

And thou my lyre, my despair dost share, Of sick my soul companion thou! Hollow is and sad the sound of thy string, Grief's sound alone hast not forgot.... Faithful lyre, with me grieve thou! Let thine easy note and careless Sing of love mine and despair, And while listening to thy singing May thoughtfully the maidens sigh!

1816.

A WISH.

III. 38.

Slowly my days are dragging And in my faded heart each moment doubles All the sorrows of hopeless love And heavy craze upsets me. But I am silent. Heard not is my murmur. Tears I shed ... they are my consolation; My soul in sorrow steeped Finds enjoyment bitter in them. O flee, life's dream, thee not regret I! In darkness vanish, empty vision! Dear to me is of love my pain, Let me die, but let me die still loving!

1816.