Poems and Ballads of Heinrich Heine Part 21

Where his feet fall Sparks are scattered and sh.e.l.ls are cracked.

And he wraps himself closer in his gray mantle, And walks rapidly through the windy night, Surely guided by a little light, That kindly and invitingly beams From the lonely fisherman's hut.

Father and brother are on the sea, And quite alone in the hut Bides the fisher's daughter, The fisher's rarely-beautiful daughter.

She sits on the hearth, And listens to the cosy auspicious hum Of the boiling kettle, And lays crackling f.a.gots upon the fire.

And blows thereon, Till the flickering red flames With a magic charm are reflected On her blooming face.

On her delicate white shoulders Which so pathetically outpeep From the coa.r.s.e gray smock, And on her little tidy hand Which gathers more closely the petticoat About her dainty loins.

But suddenly the door springs wide, And in steps the nocturnal stranger His eyes rest with confident love On the slim, white maiden, Who stands trembling before him, Like a frightened lily.

And he flings his mantle to the ground And laughs and speaks.

"Thou see'st my child! I keep my word.

And I come, and with me, comes The olden time when the G.o.ds of heaven Descended to the daughters of men, And embraced the daughters of men, And begot with them A race of sceptre-bearing kings, And heroes, the wonder of the world.

But thou my child, no longer stand amazed At my divinity.

And I beseech thee, boil me some tea with rum, For it is cold out doors, And in such a night-air as this, Even we, the eternal G.o.ds, must freeze.

And we easily catch a divine catarrh, And an immortal cough."

V. POSEIDON.

The sunbeams played Upon the wide rolling sea.

Far out on the roadstead glimmered the vessel That was to bear me home.

But the favoring wind was lacking, And still quietly I sat on the white down, By the lonely sh.o.r.e.

And I read the lay of Odysseus, The old, the eternally-young lay, From whose billowy-rus.h.i.+ng pages Joyously into me ascended The breath of the G.o.ds, And the l.u.s.trous spring-tide of humanity, And the blooming skies of h.e.l.las.

My loyal heart faithfully followed The son of Laertes in his wanderings and vexations, By his side I sat with troubled soul, On the hospitable hearth Where queens were spinning purple.

And I helped him to lie and happily to escape From the dens of giants and the arms of nymphs.

And I followed him into Cimmerian night, Into storm and s.h.i.+pwreck, And with him I suffered unutterable misery.

With a sigh I spake: "Oh, thou cruel Poseidon, Fearful is thy wrath, And I myself tremble For mine own journey home."

Scarce had I uttered the words, When the sea foamed, And from the white billows arose The reed-crowned head of the sea-G.o.d.

And disdainfully he cried: "Have no fear, Poetling!

Not in the least will I imperil Thy poor little s.h.i.+p.

Neither will I hara.s.s thy precious life With too considerable oscillations.

For thou, Poetling, hast never offended me, Thou hast not injured a single turret On the sacred stronghold of Priam.

Not a single little lash hast thou singed In the eyelid of my son Polyphemus; And never hast thou been sagely counselled and protected By the G.o.ddess of wisdom, Pallas Athene."

Thus exclaimed Poseidon, And plunged again into the sea.

And, at his coa.r.s.e sailor-wit, Laughed under the water Amphitrite, the stout fishwoman, And the stupid daughters of Nereus.

VI. DECLARATION.

Shadowing downward came dusky evening, Wildly the breakers rolled, I sat alone upon the sh.o.r.e and gazed At the white dance of the waves.

And my bosom heaved with the sea, A deep homesickness yearningly seized my heart For thee, oh lovely image, Who surround'st me everywhere, Who call'st to me everywhere, Everywhere, everywhere, In the rus.h.i.+ng of the wind, in the das.h.i.+ng of the sea, And in the sighing of mine own breast.

With a slender reed I wrote upon the sand, "Agnes, I love thee!"

But the wicked waves came overflowing That sweet confession, And blotted it out.

Oh brittle reed! oh swiftly-scattered sand!

Oh flowing waves, I trust you no more!

The heavens grow darker, my heart beats more wildly, And with a mighty hand, from the Norwegian woods, I s.n.a.t.c.h the loftiest fir, And I plunge it Into Etna's glowing gulf; And, with such a fire-steeped giant's pen, I write on the dusky canopy of heaven, "Agnes, I love thee!"

Each night hereafter overhead shall blaze Those eternal letters of flame.

And all future generations of our descendants Shall joyously read the celestial sign, "Agnes, I love thee!"

VII. NIGHT IN THE CABIN.

The ocean hath its pearls, The heaven hath its stars, But oh, my heart, my heart, My heart hath its love.

Great are the sea and the heavens, But greater is my heart.

And fairer than pearls or stars Glistens and glows my love,

Thou little, youthful maiden, Come unto my mighty heart.

My heart, and the sea, and the heavens Are melting away with love.

On the azure vault of heaven, Where the beauteous stars are s.h.i.+ning, I am fain to press my lips now, Wildly press midst stormy weeping.

Yonder myriad stars the eyes are Of my darling, and they twinkle, And they beckon to me kindly From the azure vault of heaven.

Towards the azure vault of heaven, Towards the eyes of my beloved, Piously mine arms uplifting, Thus I supplicate and wors.h.i.+p;

Lovely eyes, ye lights of heaven, Graciously my soul inspire-- Let me die and let me win you, You and all your s.p.a.cious heavens.

From the eyes of heaven yonder, Golden sparks fall trembling downward, Through the night. My soul dilateth, Filled and overfilled with pa.s.sion.

Oh ye eyes of heaven yonder, Weep yourselves to death within me!

Till my spirit overfloweth With the radiant starry tear drops.

Cradled by the waves of ocean, And by drowsy thoughts and visions, Still I lie within the cabin, In my berth so dark and narrow.

Through the open hatchway yonder, I can see the stars clear s.h.i.+ning.

The beloved eyes so gentle, Of my gentle well-beloved.

The beloved eyes so gentle Hold above my head their vigil; And they glimmer and they beckon From the azure vault of heaven.

On the azure vault of heaven, Still I gaze through blessed hours, Till a white and filmy vapor Veils from me those eyes beloved.

Against the wooden wall of the s.h.i.+p Where my dreaming head reclines, Break the waves, the wild sea-waves.